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The National Convention of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), scheduled for today Saturday, June 29, 2019 in Yenagoa was disrupted by hoodlums. Although the convention was slated for the early hours of Saturday, the hoodlums who claimed they were excluded from the process of the convention stormed the venue to disrupt the process. The over 1000 youth who stormed the venue of the convention insisted that the list of delegates for the contained under aged delegates. With the rowdy situation at the election ground, security personnel on deployment to the Ijaw House venue of the election suggested that the election be shifted to the following day to avoid the elections extending to the night as it was already getting late. However, the officials of the Electoral Committee òf the INC insisted on conducting the elections promising to conclude on time. Unfortunately, fears of the security agents were concerned as the election extended into the night and were disrupted by the hoodlums w

Bayelsa State Governor, Honourable Henry Seriake Dickson, has assured that the Restoration Cup football tournament would be sustained beyond his tenure. He made the pledge on Thursday in Yenagoa during the formal draws ceremony of the Third Governor Henry Seriake Dickson Football Tournament and presentation of kits to representatives of the 160 participating teams. The Tournament Director, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, who is also his Special Adviser  on Public Affairs, quoted the governor as calling on participating communities and organisations to exhibit sportsmanship during and after the competition. He also charged the youths and leaders of the various communities to be peaceful during the games, noting that no one is a loser as the idea of the tournament is to come together to foster unity, brotherly love and friendship. Governor Dickson, who described the Restoration Cup as a football talent development programme, commended the organisers, the Commissioner for Sports De

The draws and the presentation of sports kits for the 3rd edition of the Governor Seriake Dickson Football Tournament, the Restoration Cup 2019, is scheduled as follows: Date: Thursday, 27th June 2019 Time 8am prompt Venue: Late DSP Alamieyeiseigha Memorial Banquet Hall, Yenagoa. Special Guest of Honour: His Excellency, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson. Members of the state executive council,  all LGA chairmen, top government functionaries, , political appointees, football and sports stakeholders , the media as well as a representative of 160 teams taking part in the competition, are  expected to attend. Signed  Mr Ono Akpe, Director General, Restoration Cup.

The official draws ceremony for the third edition of the Governor Seriake Dickson Football Tournament, otherwise known as the Restoration Cup, will hold Thursday, June 27, 2019. The venue is the DSP Alamieyeseigha Memorial Banquet Hall in Yenagoa and the ceremony would commence from 8am. The Tournament Director, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, who disclosed this in a statement, said the Special Guest of Honour, Governor Henry Seriake Dickson, would personally grace the event. Other top government functionaries, political appointees, all local government chairmen, football and sports stakeholders in the state as well as one representative of the teams participating in the competition are expected at the ceremony. Highpoint of the event would be unveiling of the tournament trophies,  presentation of kits to the participating teams as well as the Restoration Starlets that emerged third at the Africa Youth Cup in Cape Verde. Alabrah said with 160 communities and teams registered already

-       Says you are APC national chairman not national chairman of Nigeria Universal Democracy Monitors, a frontline political pressure group affiliated to the youths wing of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole, to stop interfering in the affairs of the State Houses of Assembly across the country. In a press statement issued in Abuja on Monday and signed by Messers Richard Ogolo and Timi Oraka, the group’s National Chairman and Secretary-General respectively, the Port Harcourt-based group urged Oshiomhole to steer clear of the political happenings in Bauchi; and focus more on resolving the domestic political crisis in his home state of Edo, rather than interfering not only in the Speakership tussle of the Bauchi State House of Assembly, but the affairs of Bauchi State in general. The group in very strong terms condemned Oshiomhole for describing the emergence of Alhaji Abubakar Suleiman a

Hours after the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) set up a fact-finding committee on the role played by some of its members at the election of the presiding officers of the National Assembly two weeks back, the bubble seems to have finally burst as the names of certain hitherto political heavyweights in the party have been dropped as having been part and parcel of the grand betrayal. The party in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, disclosed that Sen. Adolphus Wabara, and Prof. Wale Oladipo, would serve as the Committee’s Chairman and Secretary respectively; with Sen. Ibrahim Mantu, Sen. Stella Omu, Mr Austin Opara, Sen. Abdul Ningi, and Mrs Margaret Icheen as members based on the terms of reference of finding out why some of the PDP lawmakers failed to abide by the decision of the party, and whether there was any involvement of the ruling party in the decision taken by the members involved. during t

Governors of the south-east say the proposal by the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) to organise local vigilance groups in the south-east will not work. According to MACBAN, the proposal is to assist leaders in the zone curtail criminal activities in the region. But the governors said they will not allow such idea to come to fruition. In a statement, Dave Umahi, chairman of south-east governors forum, described the allegation of the governors allowing MACBAN to form vigilance group as strange. “I find it extremely strange for anybody to think that none locals in any part of the country including south-east can be allowed to form vigilance outfit,” he said. “The Miyetti Allah group may have made that suggestion which I believe will never mean to form a vigilante in south-east whichever is the meaning, no governor will allow that. “South-east governors have their local vigilance groups working with security agencies; any such demand by Miyetti group

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has set up a fact-finding committee on the role played by some of its members at the election of the presiding officers of the National Assembly. The terms of reference of the committee are: To find out why some of our Honorable members and senators-elect then, failed to abide by the decision of the party during the National Assembly leadership election; To find out whether there is any involvement of the ruling Party in the decision taken by the members involved; Where there are established reasons for taking the action by members, the committee should identify such so that the party can create mutual and political atmosphere for reasonable interaction with Senators and Honourable members; To find out and recommend ways to checkmate such tendencies in the future and ensure that, moving forward, all members work together to defend the interest of the party at all times and circumstances.  The com

Governor of Bayelsa State and Chairman of PDP Governors Forum, the Honourable Henry Seriake Dickson is to be conferred with one of the highest  traditional chieftaincy titles by the Idoma Area Traditional Council on Friday, 28th June in Otukpo, Benue State. HRM, Dr Agabaidu Elias Ikoyi Obekpa The Governor is to be coronated as the OYIHOTU K' IDOMA which means a great Lover of the Idoma people! This was contained in a letter personally signed by Och'Idoma the 4th, Ogabaidu, Dr. Elias Ikoyi Obekpa, CON, nominating Governor Dickson for the award. The letter reads: "On behalf of myself, my council and the entire Idoma kingdom, I wish to, genuinely, appreciate your commitment to a peaceful and united Nigeria and in particular, your friendly disposition towards my people, including the Idoma Community resident in Bayelsa State. " In view of the above, and to further strengthen this relationship, I and my Council, the Idoma Area Traditional Council, at our sitting

.......State Government donates N25M to Okara Foundation Bayelsa State Governor the Honourable Seriake Dickson over the weekend flayed the political class for their  inability to identify with the people they seek to govern in times of need. A statement by his Special Adviser on Media on Media Relations, Fidelis Soriwei quoted the   Governor as having made the remark at the commendation service and burial of literary icon and international Poet, Dr. Gabriel Imomotimi Okara in Yenagoa on Friday. The Governor expressed displeasure that such group of Bayelsans are only interested in imposing themselves on the people rather than identify with them particularly the passage of such a great literary icon who God used to bless the Ijaw nation. Governor Dickson noted that honouring both the living and the dead has been an essential component of his restoration government since 2012, expressing regret that they have failed to learn the lessons inherent in the virtues behind this philos

The Centre for Public Accountability has described the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Comrade Adams Oshiomole, as an unpatriotic person, who is undeserving of occupying the position of the leader of the ruling party in the country. CPA made this position known during a media interaction with the media on Thursday. Speaking through its Executive Director, Olufemi Akindele-Lawson, CPA said it was reacting to a statement recently credited to Comrade Oshiomole, where he said he will not forgive INEC for postponing the 2019 Presidential election earlier in February this year. CPA further asserted that it is concerned that the latest attack on INEC by the APC Chairman, is just one, in the series of verbal assaults that Oshiomole has been visiting on the commission, before, during and after the conduct of the general elections, all of which are targeted at tarnishing the image of the electoral commission and undermine the gains that were recorded in the conduc

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By Joshua Ebiegberi On February 14, 2020, the only Valentine's Day governor in Nigeria would bid farewell to the Creek Haven seat of power in Bayelsa State. That day, the Honourable Henry Seriake Dickson would have completed eight remarkable years as governor of the most riverine and deltaic state in Nigeria known as the Glory of All Lands. Without doubt, the towering figure commonly called the Countriman Governor would be leaving not only very big shoes for his successor but also an oversized bowler hat. Apart from his hugely successful and impactful developmental strides across the state, his oratorical prowess would also be difficult to match. The governor's zeal and passion to change the narrative about the state has stood him out. Today, Bayelsa's story is intertwined with that of a man who bestrode the state like a colossus; not only transforming it but equally changing the governance culture. In every facet of the state, the Dickson imprint is indelibl

By Patrick PA Okon

By  Fidelis Soriwei It is the albatross of many a leader, that when they are relieved of political control, they simply stroll into the waiting arms of obscurity. The makeshift popularity simply vanishes into thin air as they hand over to the next person. Even their most fanatical supporters and defenders would be tasking their mind to scratch a favorable place for them in the court of posterity. They are readily confined into the trash can òf political antiquity having lacked the requisite quality to hoist their quest for continuing political relevance. But the situation is different with the Great White Shark, the Countryman Governor, Seriake Dickson. In February 14, 2020, when the governor of Bayelsa State finally hands over the reins of governance to his successor, he would be remembered for so many things. It is a fact that he has set a new standard for governance in Bayelsa having initiated and completed many programmes under his watch. Those who exercise authorit

- Holds interactive meeting with opposition parties. - Swears in Acting Chairman of BSIEC to encourage their participation. The Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson has yesterday swore in the Acting Chairman of the BSIEC, in the person of Chief Remember Ogbe at the executive chambers of the Bayelsa State Governors office. It is worthy of note that concerns were raised about the earlier announcement of Hon. Ball Oyarede as a replacement for the former Chairman, Dr. Perekeme Bertola who resigned on grounds of alleged threat to life and after a series of consultative meetings between the governor, political leaders, stakeholders, members of the PDP and the opposition parties, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson, yesterday swore in Chief Remember Ogbe as acting Chairman at the Executive Council Chambers, Government House, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. Other members of the BSIEC equally sworn in are, Hon. Charles Emmanuel from Brass and Barrister Ajoko perediyegha from Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government A

Organising committee of the Third Governor Seriake Dickson Football Tournament otherwise known as the Restoration Cup has moved the draws ceremony of the 2019 edition to Thursday, June 27. The draws were initially scheduled to hold on Tuesday, June 18.. The Tournament Director, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, told journalists in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, that the shift was necessitated by the huge interest the competition had attracted among communities, religious organisations and higher institutions across the state. He said more than 150 teams had already registered and that the request for participation forms had not stopped. "We have been inundated with a high request for participation in this year's competition. More communities than we had last year have registered for the 2019 edition and  we are still receiving requests from teams that want to participate. "We are encouraged by the interest that the Restoration Cup has  elicited among communities i

Can Governor Seriake Dickson’s successor in Bayelsa State come from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)? The governor of the oil-rich state appear to be confident that he will hand over the baton of the state’s leadership to the PDP candidate after the forthcoming November 16 governorship election. Speaking recently at a PDP stakeholders’ meeting, the governor insisted that with the support of leaders of the state, he would lead the PDP to victory at the coming poll. Dickson said: ”Another PDP governor will be elected in the next election. I urge all the people to step into the communities and mobilise the people. It will be my pleasure to lead the PDP with your support so that another PDP governor will be elected. “How we survived during the 2015 governorship election is by the grace of God and our mobilization skills. You now have people who know how to play opposition politics. As we begin the transition programme, we expect you to put on the toga of an opposition person.”