The governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Bayelsa State, Udengs Eradiri, has lamented over the level of poverty in the state.
Eradiri noted that it is disgraceful and disastrous that the state ranks as the second poorest state after Sokoto State in Nigeria.
According to Eradiri, the state of things in the state shows that the state Governor and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the November 11, 2023 election, Douye Diri, has failed the state.
The LP governorship candidate, while speaking in Yenagoa, on Thursday, said the PDP and Diri have nothing to campaign with as far as the forthcoming election is concerned.
He wondered why there is poverty in Bayelsa despite the small population of the state and the huge revenue allocations from various sources.
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 is 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.”
