Senator Seriake Dickson, representing Bayelsa State, has disclosed how late President Muhammadu Buhari personally contacted him during his 2015 reelection campaign to guarantee electoral fairness.
Speaking in a media coverage by Platinum TV from 6:42, he revealed the direct communication he received from Buhari regarding instructions given to electoral and security officials. “And speaking personally, 2015 when I was going for my reelection, President Buhari called me and said, ‘Governor Dickson, don’t worry, I have called INEC, I’ve called the army chief of staff and the police IG and the DSS; I’ve given them instructions that they must tell their officers and men to do the right thing,” he recounted.
The senator described how Buhari followed up on his initial promise with additional calls and face-to-face reassurances. “When he did so, he called again. When we met, he told me again and said, ‘Governor, I’ve already done so, go and do your campaigns. I have been a victim of electoral malpractices in this country, and as president, I don’t want to preside over Nigeria and cheat people of their electoral victory,” Sen. Dickson quoted the late president as saying.
The former governor of Bayelsa State revealed that upon returning home to campaign, he faced what he described as the most challenging election in the state’s history. He expressed doubt that any other state had experienced a similarly difficult electoral contest, noting that election officials failed to follow proper instructions during the process.
Despite these irregularities, the former governor maintained his confidence throughout the election period. He expressed satisfaction that the president had been proactive in issuing directives to ensure proper conduct, even though these instructions were not fully implemented by the relevant officials.
