Minister
of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri and
Gov Seriake Dickson had expressed divergent views on insecurity in Bayelsa.
Dickson
had on Friday accused Lokpobiri and leaders of All Progressives Congress (APC)
of being the masterminds of election violence in the state.
Leader of
APC in Bayelsa Ex-Governor Timipre Sylva, Lokpobiri had led members of APC on a
protest to Police headquarters in Bayelsa over killing of APC members during
rallies.
A statement signed by
Mr George Orgi, Special Adviser to Lokpobiri on Media noted that Dickson in his
characteristic manner has resorted to blame-game against the main opposition
political party.
Lokobiri stated that
accusing APC in the state of, "plotting to use the security agencies to
rig, manipulate and unleash violence on voters in the state." Was false
and mailious.
“In the warped
imagination of the governor, the leadership of the main opposition political
party in the state, "is arming thugs with all sorts of ammunition and
weapons to attack the electorates."
“This allegation comes
as no surprise to those who are familiar with the political antics and deceit
of the governor.
“It is on record that
every time the governor contemplates or indeed perpetrates any political
violence and sinister acts, he is always the first to come out to cry blue
murder.
“APC is not surprised
at this recent allegation by Dickson.
“Suddenly, it has
dawned on His Excellency that the game is up for him following last week's
protest rally led by the leadership of APC where the plot by the Governor to
use the police to kill, maim, cause violence and eventually rig the forthcoming
elections in the state was exposed to the whole world.
“It is on record that
Dickson is the one stockpiling arms and using the instrumentality of some
security agencies to harass, intimidate and bully the people.
“ It is also an
indisputable fact the the governor has gone ahead to appoint militants as
Chairmen and Vice Chairmen of Local Government Councils and to use them to
continue to perpetrate violence across the state.
“Luckily, the security
agents are now on red alert to deal with anybody caught fomenting trouble or instigating
violence in the state.
“Only last week, some
hoodlums, who were later found to be card-carrying members of the People's
Democratic Party (PDP) were apprehended with guns molesting and harassing
innocent citizens in Yenegoa, the Bayelsa State capital.
“These miscreants upon
interrogation revealed the source and funders of the arms found in their
possession, ,” Lokpobiri stated.
Lokpobiri boasted that
APC was like a moving train in Bayelsa
and not even Dickson can stop the movement.
“The APC is moving in
full force to reclaim the state, starting with a landslide victory at the
Presidential and National Assembly polls, which will take place on Saturday,
February 16.
“The door-to-door
political campaign of APC has since commenced throughout the nooks and crannies
of the state and Dickson is obviously frightened at the wave and massive
support APC is receiving in its fold in the state.
“The Minister of State
of Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri is of the firm
position that there is no reason for APC, a party cruising to electoral victory
to be involved in any form of political violence or amassment of weapons, or
the recruitment of any political thugs for that matter.
“Lokpobiri believes
that Dickson is only trying to run away from his negative shadows haunting him,
by stoking non existent allegations to cover up his failure in office.
“The governor should
face the obvious challenge of explaining his stewardship in office to the
people of Bayelsa. He must explain what he did with the over N1.3trillion he
has so far received from the Federal Government,” Lokpobiri stated.
Lokpobiri said that the
governor is conscious that his tenure in office would soon come to an end and
it would be time to account for his stewardship, adding that it was the reason
Dickson. is panicky.
No comments:
Post a Comment