Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Minister of State Petroleum and Director-General of Bayelsa APC governorship campaign council, Chief Timipre Sylva has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of causing mayhem in Nembe which is APC stronghold to weaken the resolve of the people to vote out the party on Saturday.
Sylva who addressed a press conference while expressing sadness over the deaths recorded in Nembe called on security agencies to act on the intelligence report over the activities of certain PDP chieftains.
He described the Nembe people as peace loving and wondered why violence had not broken out in the area since campaigns started.
Sylva called on the people to eschew violence and conduct themselves peaceful during and after the election so as not to give the Governor Seriake Dickson led PDP government any room to disrupt the election.
“The killing in Nembe is very sad. One of the people reported dead is from Epie. It shows that people from other Local Government went to Nembe to cause problem. We already got the intelligence and told security agencies that their strategy is to go to Nembe and cause mayhem. PDP knows that Nembe is not their stronghold so they want to cause chaos. It is not Nembe people that attacked them; it is not APC people that attacked them. Nembe people are peace loving people. Everybody had gone there to campaign and nothing happen there, everybody had gone elsewhere to campaign and nothing happen.”
However the PDP governorship candidate, Senator Douye Diri as in turn accused Sylva of sending APC thugs to attack PDP members in Nembe.
Diri who disclosed that six members of the PDP have been confirmed dead while 12 are still missing said what APC is doing in Nembe is akin to what Boko Haram is doing in Northern Nigeria.
He called for a state of emergency in the area noting that there cannot be a peaceful, free, credible and fair elections for PDP members to participate as they are still being hounded in Nembe- Bassmabiri.
“I and our party the PDP send our condolences to the families of the victims of Wednesday senseless killings and attacks sponsored by the APC and we pray their souls rest in peace. Our party has been thrown into confusion and mourning; our supporters were hunted after the incident, the hoodlums were going to their houses at night to kill our members. Town criers were also going around to announce that PDP members should leave the town to pave way for 100 percent rigging by APC.
Our campaigns have been hinged on God, we have also told members of our party to refrain from any reprisal attack, justice must be served on those who carried out that dastardly act. APC should see the interest of Bayelsans as above their own personal interest.”