… Says Diri has violated transparency law of Bayelsa
The People’s Democratic Party(PDP) has formally adopted President Bola Tinubu as the candidate of the National Rainbow Coalition in Bayelsa State.
The formal adoption of Tinubu as the presidential candidate followed the presentation of a memo on the adoption to the joint meeting of the expanded State Caucus and the party’s 100th State Executive Committee SEC) meeting at the state secretariat, Yenagoa.
The meeting also ratified a memo to pass a vote of confidence in the national leader of the Rainbow Coalition, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, for his leadership in rescuing and preserving the PDP as an opposition party.
The Chairman of the PDP in the state and leader of the Rainbow Coalition, Chief George Alabh Turnah, in his remarks during the meeting, commended members of the party for remaining resolute in supporting the party.
He commended Wike for allowing God to use him to save the PDP from the hands of those who wanted to bury the party.
‘’ As a political party, we thank God that he has preserved the party at the state and national level. Especially when some who grew through this party chose to bury the party, God took some of us, through the help of our national leader, Chief Nyesom Wike, to rescue and restore the party. We shall be eternally grateful to him’’ he said.
Turnah, who insisted that the party on his watch would not allow itself to be gagged, criticised the state government for the poor performance of the economy.
While lamenting the lack of drugs and medical personnel at the Primary Healthcare centres, he maintained that the state government has failed to deliver on its promise of prosperity for Bayelsans.
On the violation of the transparency law, Turnah disclosed that the state government has refused to make public its spending on projects in the state.
Turnah further queried the cost of projects in the state, adding that the state government has been unable to disclose the cost of its projects publicly, thereby violating the transparency law of the state.
The PDP chairman slammed the Bayelsa State House of Assembly for being a rubber stamp instead of performing its oversight function.
According to him, Bayelsans deserve to know the exact amount of money spent on the recent celebration of the 30th anniversary of the state.
‘’ The Bayelsa State owes Bayelsans an explanation on the actual amount spent for the 30th anniversary, as it was not in the state appropriation bill. That money was spent outside the budget, and in a sane democracy, that is an impeachable offence. The State House of Assembly, by condoning this waste, has shown that it is a rubber stamp.
‘’We demand that the Diri administration publish, in naira and kobo, the expenditure of the Bayelsa at 30 celebrations. Until this is done, the Diri administration owes Bayelsans a public apology for the wasteful spending of their scarce resources. ‘’
Agricultural sector, Turnah was particular about the pathetic condition of farmers in the state because of a lack of support from the state government.
‘’ The agricultural sector in Bayelsa has collapsed. Our farmers have no support, and they are suffering. All the fish ponds established by the former administration of Senator Henry Seriake Dickson have been abandoned.’’
Turnah again reiterated his criticism of the Bayelsa Stadium project, stressing that the Diri administration should concentrate on addressing the issues of unemployment, poverty and provision of social services to the people.
On the forthcoming elections, he urged the people to vote for candidates of the Rainbow coalition, noting that it has presented credible and competent candidates that would ensure prosperity is restored to Bayelsans.