Group tasks Bayelsans on participatory electoral processes

A Non Governmental Organisation , NGO under the guise of Campaign for Development and Democracy in Bayelsa Tuesday charged the people of Twon Brass in Brass Local Government Areas of Bayelsa State to actively participate in the electoral process by supporting credible candidates to represent in the next general election so as to create an enabling environment for development to strive in their communities.

The non -Governmental organization spoke through their leader Dr Konrad Ekiyor Welson during its awareness and sensitization flagged off campaign in Twon Brass.

Addressing community leaders, chiefs, women groups as well as the youths, the executive director of the Rawls center, Dr Welson who also doubles as state coordinator of CCDB said “ What Bayelsans need at this crucial moment is social change and development made possible by the institution of participatory democracy which is currently lacking in the state”.

The campaign with the theme “PROJECT BAYELSA” was used to inaugurate the local Government and wards executives while calling on
the people of the state to accept the culture of searching, finding and choosing their leaders.

He said it is a situation that makes the people alienated from their own social heritage, adding that the political class has used the cover of Democracy to subjugate, Disenfranchise and undermine the people of the state in the past eighteen years, making them poorer, less productive and completely worse off.

Describing the politicians Welson said “They in conjunction with their armed wings hold the people hostage and subservient to the whims and caprices of the dictates of the few in Government and in the corridors of power”.

He said “It was for this purpose that we are doing what we are doing, simply mobilizing the people and organizing them to know that politics is not the exclusive preserve of politicians but a tool by the people to elect their representatives”.

The aim of the group he said is not to witch- hunt any political party or individuals but to put an end to the god father syndrome where leaders are chosen not by the ideas of the common good.

He added that the elites would continue to convert their common heritage to private use. In his response, the vice chairman of Twon Brass council of Chiefs.

Chief Ben Williams who spoke for the traditional leaders and the president federated Youth council of Twon Brass, Ebiegberi
Richson expressing their frustration said the CDDB awareness is timely and called for oneness as CDDB carries out the campaign for social justice, development and good governance.

They both decried the situation that has existed in the state where the people work for politicians and are abandoned as soon as the politicians got into the office. They promised to work with CDDB to create a new social political order in the state.