The Bayelsa Development Initiative (BDI) has appealed to the electorate to listen to the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi and demand competence.

BDI urged the people to do so by voting in competent politicians in the forthcoming Nov. 11 governorship election.

BDI recalled that Obi was in the state recently to inaugurate the campaign office of the LP’s Governorship Candidate, Udengs Eradiri, and hold a town-hall meeting.

According to BDI, Obi had lamented the underdevelopment in the state, saying that Bayelsa is the second poorest state in the country after Zamfara State.

BDI, in a statement on Sunday by its Secretary, Michael-Sam Rodamini, noted that Obi was emphatic when he said with the wealth that had accrued to Bayelsa, the state had no business with poverty.

Rodamini recalled that Obi classified Eradiri among the wealth creators and advised the people to vote for “wealth creators and not wealth sharers”, adding that there was nothing left to be shared again.

He said: “The questions are, who underdeveloped Bayelsa? Who stole the commonwealth of the people? The answer is not far-fetched.

“From 1999 till date, those who have been kneeling on the progress of Bayelsa and suffocating the state’s capacity to breath the refreshing air of development are in other political parties.

“Most of the so-called political leaders in those other parties are wealth sharers,” according to Peter Obi.

“They have shared the wealth of this great state among themselves so much that there is nothing left to be shared again. They have shared the destinies of our children,” the statement read in part.

The group regretted that past leaders squandered, diverted all the monies meant for healthcare, quality education and quality infrastructures.

“It is now time to challenge these people.

“Yes. We need to challenge them to protect the future of our children because all they care about is their comfort and that of their children.

“If we love this state this coming election provides an opportunity to rescue Bayelsa and revive the dreams of the state’s founding fathers,” BDI said.

Rodamini insisted that Eradiri had proved himself to be the credible alternative needed by the people to rescue Bayelsa and put the state on the pathway of progress and development.

He said: “The coming of Obi and the presentation of the LP flag to Candidate Eradiri have quelled all the insinuations and doubts about his candidature and his seriousness towards the poll.

“The events have also proved that he has a clear agenda to develop Bayelsa.

“We have perused his past activities and we are satisfied that candidate Eradiri stands poles apart from what those other parties are offering.

“He has a clear vision of what to do and how to deliver this state from the shackles of underdevelopment and poverty”.