Court grants N2 m bail to whistle blower accused of conspiracy to rob Gov Dickson

Justice E.T Okara of a Bayelsa High Court on Wednesday granted bail to one of the five ‘whistle’ blowers’ accused of conspiracy to rob Gov Seriake Dickson.

Mr Tamunatonye Jacob was granted bail to the sum of N2 million naira and a surety who must be a civil servant of not less than level grade 12 civil servant.

Okara who ruled on the bail application based on the medical condition also received application for the other four suspects.

Esther Engbeke, Tamnatonye Jacob, Wodu Ebikebomu, Emmanuel Dorgu and Sinclair Thursday are being tried for alleged conspiracy to commit armed robbery.

Dickson rejects Presidential, National Assembly polls results in Bayelsa

Dickson rejects Presidential, National Assembly polls results in Bayelsa

Governor Seriake Dickson on Wednesday said that the Bayelsa results of the Presidential and National Assembly election held on February 23 was not acceptable.

The Presidential Candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) Muhammadu Buhari, won two of the eight Local Government Areas of Bayelsa.

Dickson said that the state government has rejected the results of APC and other candidates of the party in Nembe Bassambiri and Southern Ijaw Local Government Areas òf the state.

Soldiers on patrol foil armed robbery kill suspected armed robber in Swali market, Yenagoa

Soldiers on patrol duty on Friday foiled the operations of a seven man armed robbery gang, killing the gang leader while six escaped, and two others killed by stray bullets.

The leader of the gang had pointed a gun at the target, a female victim at Swali market demanding she surrender cash and other valuables on her without knowing that an army patrol vehicle was near the scene.

A trader who witnessed the incident said that the army patrol team used a Toyota Siena vehicle from where they observed the robbery scene and shot the armed robber at the verge of dispossessing his victim from behind.

According to the witness who gave her name simply as Grace, the armed robber shot in the air to scare the victim into submission before he was gunned down by the patrol while other members of the robbery gang fled.

Accord Party Senate candidate for Bayelsa West alleges plot to rig

Accord Party Senate candidate for Bayelsa West alleges plot to rig

The Accord Party Party Senate candidate for Bayelsa West Senatorial District, Mr Owoupele Eneoriekumoh, on Thursday alleged that two leading political parties were planning to rig the forth coming Senatorial elections.

Eneoriekumoh made this known, while addressing journalists in Yenagoa, saying that the two dominant parties have concluded arrangements to rig him out of the Senatorial election slated for February 23, 2019.

Polls shift: Jonathan sues for peace, urges voters to resist vote-buying

Polls shift: Jonathan sues for peace, urges voters to resist vote-buying

Former President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan on Monday called on Nigerians to embrace peace and shun violence ahead the shifted general elections..

Jonathan was in Bayelsa his home state at the weekend for the polls earlier scheduled for Feb. 16 and March 2 and shifter by one week to Feb 23 and March 9 and called on Nigerians to remain peaceful..

Jonathan who made the call during a meeting with Niger Delta Youth Leaders also urged the electorate to shun vote buying and vote according to their conscience.

“Use of money to induce voters has become very prevalent in Nigeria.

“It is more pronounced here than many African countries I have been to monitor elections and it is unhealthy for our development and my NGO is working on advocacy against it.

“Politics should be about the people and anyone who wants to make quick money should go into business and quit politics which is all about service to the people.

“People should vote according to the dictates of their conscience and not be induced by money.

“I have said it repeatedly that no ones ambition should be worth the spilling of the blood of any Nigerian, peace is fundamental to economic development and the reports of insecurity and violence scares away investors.

“Anytime someone is killed either by security agencies or by any other exra judicial means it affects the reputation of the country adversely and that is why peace building is very essential especially with the youths.

“Our youths are critical in our democracy because the future belongs to them so my advise is that we should be patient and shun violence in the coming elections,” Jonathan said.

Earlier, Mr Kenedy Tonjo-West, a Niger Delta Youth leader said that representatives of Niger Delta youths from across the region were in Bayelsa to applaud the former President for his efforts at peace building.

He said that the exemplary leadership style of politics without violence and bitterness was an inspiration to Niger Delta youths.

West, who is also a Senior Special Adviser on Niger Delta Youth matters to Bayelsa Governor noted the Jonathan’s influence on the youths of the region was responsible for the prevailing peace in the region.

He said that youths from the region were in Bayelsa to seek counsel from the former president following the shift in election date.

Mr Peretubo Oweilaemi, President of Ijaw Youth Council said that youths  from the Niger Delta region remain proud of the former President who relinquished power in the interest of peace and development of Nigeria.

“The emphasis of our amiable leader Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan on peace and peace building is very commendable despite his poitical persuation he has chosen to always advocate peace and we the youths are learning from him.

“We have seen the region which is very crucial to the country’s economy grow in peace because you advocate and preach peace all the time since you left office as President,” Oweilaemi said.

Leaders of Non Violent Youth groups including Niger Delta Youths Coalition for Peace and Progress, Ex-Militant Leaders who embraced the Presidential Amnesty programmer amongst others were at the meeting.  

Ex-Militant leader says Peremariri is safe for elections urges INEC to disregard calls to shift venues

Mr Paul Eris, an Ex-Militant leader who hails from Peremabiri in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area says the area is safe and conducive for Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly polls.

Hundreds who claimed to be displaced people of Peremabiri, a coastal settlement urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to provide alternative voting venue to enable them exercise their franchise.

The displaced persons led by their traditional ruler, Chief Progress Neverdie, submitted a petition to the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr Monday Udoh.

Election: Lokpobiri applauds Bayelsa people receiving Buhari, urges them to shun violence, vote APC

Election: Lokpobiri applauds Bayelsa people receiving Buhari, urges them to shun violence, vote APC

Heineken Lokpobiri Minister of State for Agriculture on Thursday commended Bayelsa people for the rousing welcome to President Muhammed Buhari who was in the state to canvass for votes.

It would be recalled that loyalists of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa turned up en masse on Tuesday to receive the President who addressed a rally in his re-election rally.

Lokpobiri who expressed appreciation in a statement signed by Mr George Oji, his Special Adviser on Media expressed optimism that Buhari would come out victorious on Saturday’s polls

He appealed to the people of Bayelsa to turn out in their large numbers to vote for President Muhammad Buhari and members of the National Assembly of the APC in the Saturday election in the state.

The Minister urged the people to conduct themselves in orderly manner and avoid any forms of violent act during the polls.

Lokpobiri assured the people of adequate protection as the security agencies have been put on red alert to guarantee peace and deal with any elements fomenting violence and misconducts during the election.

The minister reminded the people of the need to vote for President Buhari to return the state to the main stream of national politics, noting that this is the only way to attract  more federal projects and presence to the state.

The minister maintained that the Gov Seriake Dickson led government has failed to explain what he did with the huge resources that accrued to the state in the past seven years.

According to him Bayelsa remains one of the least developed states in the country despite the N1.3 trillion that accrued to the state from the Federal Government, excluding local government allocations and loans.

The minister urges the people to evaluate the impact of the Dickson's administration in their various local communities, this he said, should form the basis of voting and making a choice for the APC in Saturday’s elections.

Reacting on the finances that accrued to the state in the past seven years claims by Lokpobiri that the Bayelsa Airport slated for inauguration today gulped N120 bn Dickson said that Lokobiri was always dreaming of figures.

Dickson who had reacted in a radio broadcast monitored in Yenagoa dismissed the figures and said that the airport project cost the state less than N60 bn.

The Bayelsa government and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have held divergent views on the cost of the airport funded by loans obtained from some commercial banks.