Dickson to Appoint More Aides Despite Criticisms

Governor Seriake Dickson has asked party local government caucuses in the state to nominate women that he will appoint next week as special advisers.

In a statement in Yenagoa on Thursday, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Fidelis Soriwei, said the women will come from “areas where they have not been considered for appointment.”

The call for nominations came on the day that criticisms greeted the appointment of 60 special advisers by the governor, a few months to the end of his second and final tenure as governor.

The governor had said that the appointments were done to enable him finish strong.

He, however, lamented the defection of many of his appointees who were joining the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, ahead of the November 16 governorship election in the state.

“The government and the party (Peoples Democratic Party) deplore the ungrateful and unpatriotic attitude of a few appointees who have been sustained and recognized in the midst of far more qualified persons for over seven years but are falling prey to the antics of the APC which is inducing party members with money and fake promises,” Soriwei said.

He regretted that those that were leaving the party failed to appreciate the fact that they were appointed in place of better-qualified people that were ready and willing to work.

Soriwei however, said that the departure of the disgruntled aides of the governor was a relief to the government that would now “give the deserved recognitions and appointments to members who are willing to work in the interest of the party, and the good people of the state.”

The governor has appointed a record 3,000 special aides since he came into office almost eight years ago.