Dickson Lauds Buhari’s Position On Ballot Box Snatching

Eniola Olayemi

Seriake Dickson, Bayelsa State Governor, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his hard stance on ballot box snatchers and election riggers ahead of the rescheduled poll.

Dickson, who spoke to journalists in Yenagoa, the state capital, said it was heartwarming to hear the President condemning election riggers and troublemakers.

The President during a caucus meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja directed security agencies to deal ruthlessly with troublemakers saying persons bent in snatching ballot boxes would be doing so at the expense of their lives.

While mixed reactions had trailed the position of Buhari, the Bayelsa governor said he understood the President’s position as a directive to security agencies to be firm in their assignments

Dickson, however, hoped that the directive would apply to APC leaders in Bayelsa, whom he described as troublemakers and election riggers.

He alleged that the main opposition leaders in the state were fond of using security agencies to intimidate and harass communities.

The governor said he was watching closely how security agencies would apply the directives in respect of persons known to be causing crisis in Ekeremor, Brass Island, Bassambiri and other parts of the state.

Dickson said: “I have listened to the President’s comments calling on security agencies to deal ruthlessly with troublemakers. I hope that it applies to his party leaders in this state, who are the troublemakers, election riggers and the people using security agencies to intimidate their communities.

“It is heartwarming that the President has condemned those who rig elections and try to foment troubles. But in this state we need to watch closely how the security agencies will apply that in respect of people who are known to be causing troubles in the town of Ekeremor, in Brass Island, Bassambiri and some other parts of our state.

“I take it that it is a presidential directive enabling the security agencies and stopping them from being blackmailed so that they will be firm now that the President has given them the go ahead to disrupt the activities of trouble makes.

“I take it that they now have the presidential seal of authority in doing what is right, that is protecting and respecting the people of this state”.