My dear people of Bayelsa State, fragrance greetings and respect to you all.
I felt the need to write you people this letter in order to stir your consciousness and raise awareness towards our forth coming state gubernatorial election. I write this letter as a brother, a son, an indigen who is concerned about the nature and manner in which our state has been grossly mishandled/mismanaged by our leaders since form its inception.
Let me state it clearly here to all of you, that our state which happens to be a major source of funds for our nation’s economy because of her abundance in natural resources (oil, natural gas etc) makes it possible for her to also receive one of the highest allocations to any state of the federation from the federal government. But as I write you this letter, there is nothing concrete on ground in terms of true development since from the creation of our dear state to match the huge allocations accrued to us over the years.
My dear Bayelsans, what is more saddening is that few of the beneficiaries from this mismanagement of our state funds as against the suffering majority, have shamelessly lowered the bench mark upon which true development is measured. Therefore, they have deliberately decided to call an Ant-like development an Elephant. They have decided to call nothing something. In doing this they argue vainly, wickedly and ignorantly in support of their looting gods under successive and even this present government in our state. That is why in their little knowledge of what true/massive development befitting such a state is, they will proudly show you a photo of judiciary complex building, one or two-lane roads, a small bridge, government house building, small hospital, few redecorated/repainted secondary schools etc magnify these infinitesimal ( little things that require no applause, coming from a state government) and equate them with what true development is.
Minute so-called achievements that have little or no significant impacts on the lives of the ordinary masses, which in the first place should be their primary concern. I have watched with pain how some few youths benefiting crumbs from the looting of our public wealth by their paymasters, will be shamelessly dangling almost nothingness and calling them achievements. Youths that are supposed to be clamoring and demanding meaningful/good governance. In carrying out this shameful act, these never mean-well politicians and their crusaders have chosen mediocrity in place of merit, lack of vision in place of vision, purposelessness in place of purpose, mismanagement in place of proper management, lack of massive development in place of massive development both human and infrastructural.
Our state deserves better massive infrastructure. We need state of the art stadiums, five star hotels, world class hospitals, airport, big industries to absorb the unemployed, malls, standard parks for families to go relax and have fun, good schools and sound education for our children,proper drainage system, proper waste disposal and waste management system. Improved health care system, security of lives and properties etc. This is what good government does, attracting all these to the state and creating the enabling environment for meaningful development to thrive.
So far no governor has done this for us, other than engaging in massive looting of our state funds to enrich themselves and their fellow cohorts.
Please my dear people, the time has come for us to awaken our consciousness and do what is right. What we have had in the past is a state run by godfathers, who impose candidates on us for their selfish gains, leaving the state in a total mess. It is time to clean this mess up, it is time to set the records straight. We must look within us, using the power of the masses to choose someone who will give us good governance. Our dear state since from its inception has been led by the People’s Democratic Party(PDP), the result on ground from their years of governance shows nothing but complete failure to say the least. PDP’s poor performance in the governance of our state over these years cannot and should not be rewarded with even another day in office. Talking about another term in PDP’s administration should be something very embarrassing that no well meaning Bayelsan should even contemplate.
Unfortunately for the All Progressive People’s Congress( APC) party, it is made up of the same looters and wasters of our public state funds who only left the PDP in the hope of satisfying their selfish political ambitions. In Bayelsa State today, it is correct to say that APC is PDP and PDP is APC. Do not allow yourselves to be deceived by whatever change slogan they are now chanting, as they are direct mold of each other. I therefore, urge all well meaning Bayelans to unite by massively voting out the PDP and say a loud no to APC in our state. Enough of their deceit and lies.
All other corruption intolerant, selfless, vision and purpose-driven gubernatorial candidates in the state should close ranks to form a solid platform under another party upon which good governance can come to our state. They should reach out to the ordinary people, sensitize them on the need for good governance in our state so together they can salvage our dear state from this wreck. My appeal to the federal government is to help deploy every machinery, put all measures in place that will help ensure credible free and fair governorship election in Bayelsa State.
Written by Afagha Emmanuel.
[email protected]
@excelafagha.
