Bayelsa State Governor, the Honourable Seriake Dickson, on Friday warned against killings and violence during political campaigns as Bayelsa celebrates the 7th edition of the Annual Thanksgiving Day.

The Special Adviser to the governor on Media Relations, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, quoted the governor to have made the comment at the Annual Thanksgiving event held at the 15,000-seater Ecumenical Centre, Igbogene, Yenagoa.

Dickson stressed that power only comes from God.

He urged unscrupulous elements planning to destabilise the hard-earned peace in the state of desist from such acts.

Dickson urged the political class to go about their campaigns in a peaceful manner devoid of violence, thuggery and focus more on issues bordering on the stability, development peace and security of the state.

Governor Dickson was joined by the Archbishop of the Church of God Mission International, Arch Margaret Idahosa, Senior Pastor, House on the Rock, Pastor Paul Adefaransi, the Presiding Bishop of Logos Ministries International Church, Bishop Yomi Isijola, the Senior Pastor Royal House of Grace, Apostle Zilly Aggrey and other men of God to mark the 7th edition of the Bayelsa Annual Thanksgiving Day Anniversary.

He said: “There is something very important that I wish to say here. Bayelsa is a blessed land. It is rated one of the most peaceful states in the country. Our state is one of the fastest developing in Nigeria.

“As we go into effective politicking, Politicians should know that power comes only from the Almighty God. Our politicians should note that you don’t get power by violence, you don’t get political control because you are a deadlier killer. People should go about their campaigns without disrupting the peace and stability of the state.

“I urge you all to pray against a few criminal elements plotting to cause mayhem in the state. They are plotting to buy guns for young people, and cultists to kill innocent people, they want destabilise our state, we should pray that God should shut out such people.”

Describing the celebration as an opportunity for Bayelsans to renew their covenant of blessings with God, the governor called on the people to cultivate the habit of Thanksgiving to attract more blessings.

His words: “What we do here in Bayelsa permeates from Arogbo in Western frontiers of the Ijaw nation Arogbo to Eastern Obolo in Akwa Ibom, all we do here affect the entire Ijaw nation. I congratulate all Bayelsans on the 7th anniversary of thanksgiving. In the new Bayelsa, all good human being who come here, who do well are all Bayelsans.”

Dickson said that his administration was able to achieve so much because real men of God assembled to hand over the state to God after a solemn assembly.

He said that Bayelsa was the only state in the country with a policy declaring a public holiday to give quality thanksgiving to God.

Governor Dickson thanked Bayelsans and residents of the state for their continued support and prayers for his administration. He also used the opportunity to empathise with flood victims, assuring that government would continue to identify with them in their plight.

“As we currently gather here, over 70 percent of the state is under water, the state is below sea level. We again offer formal concerns to all those affected by the flood in all the councils and the camps.

“I have moved round the state to visit, and encourage our people who are affected by the flood. We have tried the little we can to support and encourage you.

“We also appreciate men of good will, churches, religious bodies, professionals, doctors and all those who made donations and offered support to the victims.

“I assure the victims that you are not forgotten in this hour of need. We thank you for your resilience, the Bayelsa spirit of perseverance. We thank God, it could have been worse. Whole communities and societies have been wiped out by natural disasters. Ours is not like that.”

Delivering the sermon, Senior Pastor, House on the Rock, Dr. Paul Adefarasin, appreciated Governor Dickson for instituting the Thanksgiving Day by law, noting that Bayelsa is the only state that has set aside a special day to appreciate God's blessings upon them and their land.

According to him, it takes a people who value the grace of God to embrace Thanksgiving as a state policy and urged Bayelsans to sustain it for a greater future.

He described Bayelsa as the number one state in the Federation.

•Photo by Lucky Francis shows, L-R; Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Konbowei Benson, Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson, his wife, Rachael, and the Archbishop of The Church Of God Mission International, Archbishop Margaret Idahosa in a discussion during the 7th Bayels State Thanksgiving Celebration at the State Ecumenical Centre, Glory Drive, Igbogene, Yenagoa.

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