Former Bayelsa State Governor, Henry Seriake Dickson, has said no individual or group will be allowed to intimidate voters in the state during the next election.
Dickson made the statement in a post on his X platform while reacting to reported endorsement meetings held by youth leaders and other stakeholders across Ekeremor Local Government Area in support of his political ambition and the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
He said more than 300 serving and former youth presidents from communities across Ekeremor had endorsed him, commended his leadership and service, and pledged their support for candidates of the NDC.
Dickson also said similar endorsement meetings and consultations were taking place across the senatorial district, involving stakeholders, elders, women and youth leaders as well as student groups.
He expressed appreciation to the youth presidents, community leaders, opinion leaders and other stakeholders for their mobilisation and consultations, saying their support demonstrated confidence in him, the NDC and its candidates.
According to him, the endorsements came despite his absence from Bayelsa for about eight months due to national engagements, during which he said he had been involved in building the NDC from the grassroots.
Dickson said he hoped to return to the state soon to personally appreciate supporters and deepen consultations ahead of the campaigns.
He, however, urged NDC members, candidates, stakeholders and supporters to remain committed to the party despite what he described as acts of intimidation and attempts to restrict democratic participation.
Dickson recalled that since 2015, he had led Bayelsa in opposition and worked to prevent the state from being “overrun by desperate and criminally minded politicians seeking to use federal institutions to intimidate innocent voters.”
He warned against any attempt to intimidate voters during the next election.
“Let me be clear: no one will be allowed to intimidate voters in their communities in Bayelsa State in the next election,” he said.
Dickson also alleged that some individuals might attempt to deploy security agencies and thugs to intimidate voters or manipulate election results.
He urged supporters to reject violence, participate peacefully in the democratic process and lawfully protect their votes.
The former governor also called on young people, women, community leaders and other citizens to resist intimidation and vote against leaders they considered oppressive.
He further warned against the emergence of a one-party state in Nigeria, saying the country and its constituent states must remain politically competitive.
He thanked his supporters for their “belief, trust, confidence, solidarity and prayers” and urged them to sustain their mobilisation ahead of the next election.
Dickson concluded his message with slogans expressing support for the NDC.
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