Niger Delta United for Jonathan has issued an apology to President Goodluck Jonathan and the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the booing of the Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson, by a crowd of party supporters during last weekend’s Presidential Campaign Rally in the state.

The group stated that the booing of Dickson by the people of the state was not meant to embarrass the President, his wife, Dame Patience Jonathan, and the party’s national executives.

It described the development as a clear show of pent-up frustration by the people of the state with the Seriake Dickson administration.

Niger Delta United for Jonathan, in the two-page letter signed by its National Secretary, Azibaayam Iborisi, and Public Relations Officer, Ebimiziewe Angalapele, stated that the present administration in the state is the worst in terms of policy of inclusion, youth mobilisation and empowerment and lack respect for human rights.

According to the group, “The open and loud booing of the Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson, was not a plot sponsored by anyone as alleged by Gov. Dickson, but a spontaneous show of frustration by the angry people from all the local government areas of the state. In spite of the scotching sun and later the rain, the oppressed people of your state patiently waited to show you how they feel about the Seriake Dickson-led administration.

“The people of the state feel bad about what happened, yet it could have been worse than that if it had not been your campaign outing, since we are seriously committed to working for your re-election. We believe that based on your own sense of fairness, you will look into the raging complaints that Bayelsa is now been run like Seriake’s family estate.

“While the presidential rally was on ‘Dickson’s thugs’ were busy invading stores close by the venue, destroying pure water sachets that were on sale, just to avoid possible stoning of the Governor.

“We cannot deny him credit for some developmental strides, but the attitude and conduct of the Governor is inimical to the unity and progress of the people of the state and the entire Ijaw race.

“Is it not an irony of fate that the sponsored insults against our mother, Dame Patience Jonathan, and the plans to publicly embarrass her at the event turned out to be emphatic public rejection of his administration as he was roundly booed even by those he had paid for the hatchet job?”

It will be recalled that Dickson in his reaction issued a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, maintained that Dickson supporters were in the majority at the rally. He accused members of the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) and Women for Change Initiative as those behind the booing.

The allegation by Dickson against Women for Change Initiative, an NGO promoted by Dame Patience Jonathan, and TAN in Bayelsa in the control of Mrs. Jonathan’s loyalists after the visit may yet be a signal that the First Lady may have stood her grounds on replacing Dickson.

•Photo shows Governor Seriake Dickson.

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