Beware of Diri’s endorsement meeting, group tells Bayelsa founding fathers, elders’ council

A group, known as the New Generation Leaders (NGL) have told Bayelsa State founding fathers and elders to beware of a plot by the state Governor, Douye Diri, to deceive them into attending an endorsement meeting disguised as a gathering being convened in the state’s interest.

NGL, in a statement signed by its spokesman, Comrade Precious Odede, said Diri, after failing woefully in office for four years had resorted to desperate strategies including adoption of deception to portray himself as a popular candidate.

Odede said in his latest act of desperation, Diri had planned to lure the state’s founding fathers to the Government House for a meeting, which would surprisingly turn out to be an endorsement event.

He said at first the agenda of the meeting would look like a pro-Bayelsa meeting, but at the end the main objective of the meeting would be unveiled with media announcement that the founding fathers were behind him.

Odede wondered why Diri was planning to use his privileged position to intimidate and humiliate the state’s founding fathers, who were already disappointed with his performance.

While showering encomiums on the founding fathers and elders, Odede appealed to them to scrutinise any invitation for a meeting ahead of the election.

He said the elders should be wondering why the governor never engaged them since he assumed office over four years ago but chose a period close to his defeat at the polls to do so.

Odede said: “Again, we have uncovered a plot to get our dearly revered founding fathers and elders to a meeting that would seem a pro-Bayelsa meeting, but at the end of the day announcements would be made and the media will fly with stories of an endorsement.

“Unfortunately many of our dearly revered founding fathers and elders would be taken aback because they would, of course, be wondering at the purpose of the visit.

“We condemn in total the planned move to humiliate and take advantage of our founding fathers and very respected elders. Over the years, we have known and seen them as apolitical, poised always just to advance the collective growth of our state.

“They are fathers to us all and sacrificing the integrity, reverence they have on the alter of politics is one of the most desperate political adventures we have ever had.

“While we appreciate, adore and endorse our founding fathers and elders council, we may at this point advise that they scrutinize invites at this point as it is very close to the elections.

“We eternally thank the Bayelsa State founding fathers and the elders council and we are aware that in their great wisdom no politician can trick them into a meeting that would be announced as an endorsement of governor Douye Diri.”