The Governorship candidate of the Labour Party, (LP), in the upcoming November 11, Bayelsa election, Udengs Eradiri, has said that the People’s Democratic Party leadership failed as the state is ranked second poorest in the country.
According to National Bureau of Statistics, in its 2023 National Multidimensional Poverty Index report, Bayelsa has 88.5 per cent poor people and Sokoto led the poorest, with 90.5 per cent.
Eradiri noted that the poor ranking of Bayelsa in all economic and developmental indices shows that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and its gubernatorial; candidate, Governor Douye Diri, had failed the state.
The LP Gubernatorial flag bearer stated this while speaking in Yenagoa, on Thursday, November 2.
Eradiri said, “Why is Governor Douye Diri and the PDP still campaigning for a second term? Data technology company, StatiSense, recently unveiled the Multidimensional Poverty Index of 2022 report of the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS.
“That report exposed the number of people living in multidimensional poverty in the oil-rich Niger Delta states. That report is alarming, and distressing and goes to show the failure of the PDP leadership of Bayelsa since 1999. It shows that the PDP leadership and the current government of Douye Diri diverted and squandered all our commonwealth.
“Bayelsa has a red flag in all developmental indices. It will shock you to know that 2.61 million people out of the 2.9 million people are languishing in abject poverty. This is to say that 88 per cent of our population are extremely poor despite the humongous resources and revenue coming into this state.
“While Sokoto, a desert, occupies the first position, Bayelsa, an oil-rich state is coming second. What other proof do we need to know that the PDP has remained the whirlwind that will not blow this state and our people any good?
“What other evidence do we need as a people to know that this forthcoming election affords us, the people, an opportunity to kick out Diri and his party? They mean no good for our state and should be given a red card.”
He also noted that Bayelsa ranked as the third worst state in the unemployment index in the country, Diri and his party had no business seeking any re-election.
