Political Appointees Running Diri’s Govt. —Group

Bayelsa PDP Elders Forum has alleged that the Prosperity Government led by Senator Douye Diri and Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo as Governor and Deputy, is controlled and managed by some political appointees of the administration as their personal business, making all decisions and policies in the government since their assumption of office.

The Prosperity Government led by Senator Douye Diri and Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, as Governor and Deputy came on board by the Supreme Court judgment in February 13 2020, sacking the APC Governorship Candidate, Chief David Lyon and his Deputy, Senator Degi Eremienyo, as a result of names discrepancies in the certificates of the APC Deputy Governorship Candidate, Senator Degi Eremienyo.

Furthermore, ghe prestigious group condemned the neglect and sidelining of critical stakeholders of the ruling party who fought fearlessly, tirelessly and gallantly to ensure that the Gov. Diri led prosperity government came on board with the sole purpose of retaining power and strengthening the party structure in the State, as an umbrella dominated and ruling state since the practice of democratic system of government in 1999.

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According to tbe group, the control and sole ownership of the Prosperity Government by these few people depriving critical stakeholders of the party from being part of the government has made the present administration a laughing stock to well-meaning Bayelsans, describing the Gov. Diri led Prosperity Government as a government of no direction and meaningful projects.

The Group’s Coordinator, Chief Perekeme Douye stated that the Deputy Chief of Staff, Hon. Peter Akpe, the Special Adviser on Political Matters, Chief Collins Cocodia, the Director of Transport, Hon. Lucky Youbougha and one Mr Africa from Anambra State who is a close friend to Gov. Diri, are the key people who are running the affairs of the Prosperity Government led by Senator Douye Diri and Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo as Governor and Deputy over the years.

He added that these cabinet members control and manipulate the day-to-day activities of the government like their personal business while relentlessly fighting critical stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who worked so hard for the emergence of the Prosperity Government, instead of creating an enabling environment for all-inclusive governance of the government to foster peace and unity in the party.

The Bayelsa PDP Elders Forum further condemned the incompetence and incapability of the governor for not handling the affairs of the government, rather than allowing some members of his cabinet to control and manage the affairs of the government, stressing that important decisions are made by Africa and Akpe on behalf of the governor and deputy without seeking their consent and approval.

“The same so called cabal members of the prosperity government came up with the idea of prosperity camp and restoration camp creating division and disunity in the government and the party with the primary objective of pushing away key field players of the party from the government in order to have a full control of the government to be runned as their personal business,” he added.

Chief Douye described Gov. Diri as a ceremonial governor who has no slightest idea of the day-to-day activities of his administration since resumption of office, creating the avenue for the control of the government by few members of his cabinet (Akpe, Cocodia, Lucky and Africa) respectively, while fighting critical stakeholders of the party not to be part of the administration they tirelessly fought for.

He further stated that the so called cabal members of the prosperity government (Akpe, Cocodia, Lucky, Africa) couldn’t deliver their ward and constituency to the party in the gubernatorial election, stressing that those who made so much sacrifice working tirelessly and gallantly in bringing in the Prosperity Government are the people neglected and deprived of the government.

Chief Douye further urged the Governor, Senator Douye Diri to wake up from his slumber and stand up to his responsibilities as the leader of the party by creating an enabling environment for all-inclusive governance of critical party stakeholders who did everything possible to bring on board the Prosperity Government.