Governorship
By Christian Ogbonnaya
Yenagoa, Dec. 20, 2018 (NAN) A former Senator representing Bayelsa East Senatorial District, Barigha Amange, has said that only free, fair and transparent election can guarantee people’s desire in the Bayelsa governorship race.
Sen. Amange made this known during his keynote address at the 5th Annual Lecture by the Federated Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Bayelsa Chapter on Thursday in Yenagoa.
He said the theme of the lecture: “The Quest for People’s Governor: A case for Bayelsa State’’, was appropriate as the general elections draw closer.
The former lawmaker said that emergence of the people’s governor in the forthcoming election could bring the much-desired development from the grassroots.
Amange explained that the people’s governor was the person elected by the people to perform the executive functions on people’s behalf.
“The people, therefore, must be involved in the selection and election processes. This involvement of the people must start from the party primaries to the general elections.
“So, for us to have a people’s governor, the processes for the primary and general elections must be free, fair, credible end transparent.
“He must not be a governor that emerges through imposition or vote-buying,” he said.
The Chairman of the occasion, Mr Charles Ambaiowie, said that in the quest for a people’s governor, a critical check should be taken on character, capacity, competence, courage and conscience.
Ambaiowie called for a rigorous enlightenment of people at the grassroots in order to cast their vote for the right candidate of their choice.
On his part, the Guest Lecturer, Mr Braeyi Ekiye, said for a people’s governor to emerge, there must be a proper political education of the electorate.
“The people’s governor can be elected through the efficient use of PVC and not selling of vote.
“The people’s governor must be able to focus on people’s-oriented projects and economic development,” Ekiye said.
In his remark, Mr Osaro Okhomina, Chairman, Federated Correspondents Chapel of the NUJ, Bayelsa Chapter, said the programme was aimed at imparting knowledge on people in the search for the people’s governor in the state.
Okhomina thanked the guest lecturer and other participants and expressed the hope that the lecture would go a long way in promoting good governance. (NAN)
OOC/KTO/AJA
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Edited by Kamal Tayo Oropo/Adeleye Ajayi