TheCable

Udengs Eradiri, governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Bayelsa, says the ranking of the state as the second poorest in the country is a sign of the failure of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led administration in the state.

According to a report by the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in 2022, Bayelsa was ranked as the second poorest state in the country behind Sokoto.

Speaking with reporters on Thursday, the LP candidate said the woes of Bayelsa were caused by bad governance from the PDP.

Eradiri added that the current administration has no idea of how to tackle the issues in the state.

“Why is 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,” NAN quoted Eradiri as saying.

“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.

“Bayelsa has the 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 in spite of 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.”