The governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Bayelsa State, Udengs Eradiri, has expressed deep concern about the widespread poverty in Bayelsa State. He emphasised that it is both shameful and disastrous that the state holds the unenviable position of being the second poorest state in Nigeria, trailing only Sokoto State.

Eradiri pointed out that the current situation in Bayelsa reflects a failure on the part of the state’s governor, Douye Diri, who is also the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the November 11, 2023 election.

According to Eradiri, the PDP and Diri have little to offer in their campaign for the upcoming election.

He questioned why, despite the state’s relatively small population and substantial revenue allocations from various sources, poverty remains a pressing issue in Bayelsa.

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.”