The Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has warned his appointees to desist from engaging in political activities ahead of the yet-to-be-released 2027 election guidelines by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Diri said any of his appointees found engaging in political activities at this time would be sacked.
The governor issued the stern warning on Wednesday during the 162nd session of the state’s executive council meeting inside the Executive Council Chambers of Government House, Yenagoa.
The Bayelsa governor, who wondered why some persons decided to heat up the polity when it was not yet time for politicking, noted that although everyone had the right to aspire to any political office, it should be done in line with the INEC stipulated guidelines.
Diri said his administration was focused on governance and on programmes that would develop the state and should not be distracted by unnecessary political activities.
He urged people of the state to engage in other profitable ventures rather than politicking when it was not yet time to do so.
“I advise all of us to refrain from politicking and wait for INEC’s guidelines, particularly for political appointees. If you want to heat up the polity, please resign,” he said.
“Going forward, any political appointee who goes on air to talk about 2027 politics will be sacked.
“Any political appointee, no matter his office, who goes on air or does political activities when it is not yet time and it is brought to my knowledge, consider yourself sacked.
“For non-appointees, please look for other economic activities that will bring development to our dear state. We cannot as a state be doing politics from January to December every year.
“Elections are in 2027 but some want to play God when they do not even know if they will see 2027. I am not praying for anybody’s death.
“Those who want to take whatever offices, please, there is law and order in this country. There is a timetable for political activities to commence.
“I always say that power comes from God. So, sheathe your sword for now or remove the powder in your gun and wait. When INEC releases the guidelines for political activities, everybody will be free to play politics.
“As a political appointee, that has to stop today. Everybody is put on notice that if any of those social media political comments are seen, action will be taken.”
This is coming as youth leaders under the auspices of Concern Youths of Bayelsa State have warned the pro-Wike group, the NEW Associates, led by George Turner, to desist from comments and actions that may undermine the existing peace in the state.
The NEW Associates are the initials of the names of the Minister of Federal Capital, FCT Abuja, and former governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike.
The Bayelsa State chapter of NEW Associates was formally inaugurated amidst nearby shootings in Yenagoa at the weekend during a rally to appreciate President Bola Tinubu for appointing indigenes of the state into positions of authority.
The youth leaders drawn from all eight local government areas of the state, at a press briefing on Tuesday, regretted that the deliberate act by the group to sow seeds of disunity is not only painting the state in a negative light, and colour.
They said the group also attempted to demarket the state to undermine the efforts of daily engendering peace in the state, which ranks very high in this regard, owing to the conscious efforts of Governor Douye Diri
Coordinator of the group, Tony Ile, warned the group to desist from being used as instruments of chaos to destabilise the state and urged youths to be mindful of the group and its antics.