The Nation Newspaper

Category: Niger Delta

  • ‘Why Buhari shouldn’t neglect Urhobo in appointments’

    ‘Why Buhari shouldn’t neglect Urhobo in appointments’

    A prominent Urhobo leader, Tina Wilson, have urged President Muhammadu Buhari to appoint qualified sons and daughters of the area as managing directors, executive directors, chairmen and Board members of federal  parastatals and agencies.

    In a statement released in Abuja by Wilson, the Urhobo people are reminding President Mohammadu Buhari that since the Minister and Minister of State of the Niger Delta in the present government were not picked from the Urhobo nation, justice demands that the area be considered in subsequent high-profile appointments in the oil and other sectors.

    According to her: “Despite the fact that we are the second largest oil producing area in the country, the Urhobo people have never in the history of Nigeria been associated  with violence or any plot to destabilise Nigeria.

    “We are the 5th largest ethnic group in Nigeria but we have not used that as a weapon to hold the rest of the action to ransom at any point in time. Our people have been peaceful and contributing immensely to the greatness of the nation.”

    Wilson noted that politically, the North serves like a coolant or equation balancer in national affairs; therefore, she reminded Northern leaders to be fair and critically asses the huge sacrifices of the Urhobo people in national development.

    “Urhobo land boasts of 15 Oil and Gas fields with over 400 oil wells. The Utorogu gas plant is the largest of its kind in Africa South of the Sahara, and it is not off-shore. All pipelines from the area are connected to various oil terminals and refineries in Nigeria without any problem. Government should consider all these and treat Urhobo people equitably.”

    She advised the president to study carefully the kind of people he appoints into important positions, especially from the Niger Delta. She added that statistics have shown that  pipeline vandalism and oil bunkering were carried out by prominent businessmen and women, the elite, ex-militants and their cohorts.

    The  activist pointed out that “when you combine the natural resources of the Urhobo nation, with the very massive oil and gas investments and reserves in the Ndokwa, Isoko and Ika areas of Delta State, then this government should do well not to treat the area with ignominy.”

    She declared that Urhobo people supported “this God-sent government of President Mohammadu Buhari”.

    “That is why we are pleading that we should not be neglected in the scheme of things at the mainstream,” she said.

  • Port Harcourt Catholic Knights caution Biafra agitators

    Catholic Knights of Saint Mulumba (KSM) of Port Harcourt diocese have called on pro-Biafra protesters to desist from acts capable of bringing back the ugly experiences encountered during the war.

    The knights spoke at a news conference held at Dr. Obi Wali International Conference Centre Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

    The head of Supreme Knight of Saint Mulumba, Bro. Anthony Onuh, said those advocating for Biafra were young people who did not even witness the war.

    Onuh explained that the challenges ravaging the country which ranges from Boko Haram insurgency, nonpayment of salaries are some of the issues which need to be addressed.

    He noted that even as they have disagreed with pro-Biafra protesters, it is necessary that government at all level must be proactive to address so many challenges affecting Nigerian youths especially the welfare of Nigeria Citizen.

    Onuh said: “I went to the war, I was a lieutenant on the Biafra side and had a bullet wound. And when the war ended I said thanks be to God. So I won’t want anybody to drag us to that experience again. No matter what the problem may be.

    “We are facing insurgency in Nigeria, which everybody is praying should be over soon. We have challenges in every phase of our lives. So we are praying that things will be better for all of us. It touches us and we pray that this issue of Boko Haram should be a thing of the past.

    “Most of the retired people are collapsing and dying just because they want to get salary from the government. While oversees, they will seat in their houses and receive their salaries through their banks, because they have worked when they were strong.”

  • ‘Ibom power expansion is for industrialisation, economic devt’

    ‘Ibom power expansion is for industrialisation, economic devt’

    It was a landmark achievement for the government and people of Akwa Ibom State when the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) gave approval for the expansion of Ibom Power Station from 191 megawatts (Mw) capacity to 685Mw, reflecting an increase of 494Mw.

    The Ibom Power plant, an independent power plant (IPP) that is 100 per cent owned by the Akwa Ibom State Government, is gas-fired power station licensed on May 12, 2008 to generate 191Mw of electricity. It is currently managed by Ibom Power Company Limited.

    Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Gabriel Emmanuel said the expansion of the capacity of the power plant was in line with his electioneering promise of ensuring energy security and commitment to turning around the economy of the state through industrialisation.

    “This capacity expansion is to leverage and build on the uncommon transformation of Governor Godswill Akpabio’s administration, and sustainable public-private sector initiative, thereby opening up opportunities for growth and improved living standards,” he said.

    Ibom Power Company Limited had on December 19, 2014, submitted an application to amend its operational licence to 685Mw. The application was approved by NERC on October 27, 2015. Governor Udom said he was excited by this huge achievement, which would make the state immensely contribute to solving the power problems in the country.

    “I am proud to say that even with several challenges in the industry, Ibom Power is contributing 113Mw of generation to the national grid and this is highly commendable. This achievement did not come by accident, it happened because our state government over the years invested heavily in the power sector value chain,” he said.

    He said the achievement is imperative knowing the role power plays in industrialisation process. “This is consistent with the policy of my administration to industrialise the state, we would soon come for embedded generation licence that would supply power to our industrial estates to be established along the coastal line,” he said, adding “we will partner with NERC and other stakeholders in the country to make our state a model of steady power supply for industrialisation and sustainable development consistent with our ‘dakkada’ movement.”

    The Managing Director, Ibom Power Company Limited, Dr. Victor Udoh said: “This licence expansion will allow Ibom Power to contribute significantly towards the solution of the national electricity problems. His Excellency’s administration seeks to make the state a power exporting hub in the federation.”  The governor vividly captured the essence and efficacy of the milestone achievement. Power is a great enabler of growth in any economy and he clearly understands this.

    “This explains the thoughtfulness of the state to partner more with NERC and other stakeholders in the country to make the state a model of steady power supply for industrialisation and sustainable development consistent with its ‘dakkada’ movement. It further shows that governance can work to power the economy where government means serious business and is committed to making a difference. The state government currently has a stable gas processing plant that supplies gas not only to Ibom Power but also to Alaoji power plant in Abia State, Unicem and Odukpani power plant in Cross River State and to a fertiliser plant in Rivers State.

    “Ordinarily, the expansion licence implies more power supply to the Akwa Ibom economy. It means more income, savings, and investment on which the models of vibrant and forward looking economies are anchored.  From the analytical standpoint, the propensity to increase the state’s production possibility curves is bound to rise significantly with the knock-on effect of these critical factors in accelerating productivity and development in various timeframes.

    “With more income streams engendered by greater availability of power supply, it is expected that the middle class would grow, unleashing higher demand, taste, expectations and preferences that need to be satisfied. With the need, would also evolve investors and entrepreneurs to seize the new windows of opportunity in the competition to satisfy the demands of this important class.”

    He noted that for the government, the licence expansion translates to higher prospects of growing the internally generated revenue (IGR), especially now that the global oil price shocks has resulted in the tumbling of the monthly revenue allocation. The envisaged growth would be unlocked not by higher tax rates or multiple taxes, but by  widening the tax net to capture more payers (income earners and entrepreneurs and investors) through pay as you earn (PAYE), companies’ income tax, value added tax (VAT), among others. Of course, more revenue for government means more fund to finance more projects and improve citizens’ welfare and achieve more inclusive growth, he added.

    “It further implies more employment generation, especially when the formal and informal sectors are deftly empowered to enhance the emergence of the third market. The youths of the state need to be gainfully employed, and this brings home the real impact of the steps being taken by government to increase and stabilise power supply in the state. This would reduce the incidence of such societal ills as youth restiveness, insecurity, kidnapping, armed robbery and cultism in the state.

    “Perhaps those who do not appreciate the importance of power in an economy should try to live without it for some months. They should then have another scenario where there is quality power supply and the evolution of even such small scale businesses as motor mechanics, barbers, hairdressers, welders, and furniture makers, among others.  When more than 90 per cent of the communities in the state have distribution infrastructure, they would have a better understanding of the state government’s decision to commit the princely sum of $22million to building the transmission line that links Ibom Power to the national grid and wait for the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to refund the money and take over ownership of the line in line with the National Energy Policy.

    Udo says Ibom Plant’s immediate next steps would be “to continue the site preparation for phase two, aggressively pursue a power purchase agreement with the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET), select the best of several investors complete all other commercial agreements such as engineering, procurement and construction (EPC), operation and maintenance (O&M), and commence the project as soon as possible.”

    He said: “Our rural electrification projects are in place to ensure100 per cent coverage. The State invested in the Port Harcourt Distribution Company (PHEDC) in addition to gas infrastructure, transmission lines and utility competency will soon payoff, adding that the building blocks necessary for steady power supply in the State are in place. A better commercial and technical operation of the distribution system is the missing link.

    “It is also worth celebrating that the state has developed the capacity to manage the power system operationally, technically and financially. “As part of Governor Udom Emmanuel’s capacity building programme, we have developed power utility management competency in Akwa Ibom State. Today, Ibom Power is operated by indigenes of our state. And for the first time, we recently celebrated 114 days without forced outage. We have also developed competency for commercial and technical management of the power distribution across the entire State.”

  • Boost for widows, students, artisans

    In honour of the memory of his late parents, Chief Leemon Ikpea, Executive Chairman of Lee Engineering and Construction Company Limited has given out cash awards to 25 widows at Ewatto in Esan South East Local Government.

    Also, 62 secondary school students and 15 students in tertiary institutions were offered scholarship ranging from N50,000 and N100,000.

    The empowerment cash scheme was part of activities to mark the third anniversary of the Agbonjagwe Leemon Ikpea Foundation (ALIF) a body through which scholarships have been offered to 384 students and many lives touched.

    Founder of ALIF, Chief Leemon who lost his parents in 1973 (mother) and 1952 (father) said he decided to share part of his blessings because life was difficult and tough for him and his siblings.

    Leemon who recalled how he was sent home from school over inability to pay school fees said his desire was to stop seeing students sent home because of school fees.

    He noted that the purpose of setting up the foundation was to assist widows and artisans to set up small businesses, provide access to primary health care for people living in rural areas, offer a lifeline to helpless and brilliant students and ameliorate hardship in the rural areas through provision of water boreholes.

    Chief Leemon explained that the foundation was dedicated to the memory of his parents because they bequeathed to him and his sibling virtues that made them become who they are today.

    His words, “Though my parents have no material things to give us, they loved and taught us the virtues of hard work, integrity and honesty which has sustained us till date. ALIF is our little way of saying thank you to their memories by identifying with the less privileged, the sick and the aged.”

    Executive Director of ALIF, Visible Difference Irabor, listed bursary awards to law students, payment of monthly stipend to 140 old people, organising mentoring programmes for youth development as other achievements of the foundation.

    Former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Odein Henry Ajumogobia, said empowering the less privileged was a magnificent way to celebrate one’s parents.

    Ajumogobia noted that Leemon had become a father to many orphans because of the support given to them.

     

  • Fed Govt, Bayelsa battle unemployment

    Fed Govt, Bayelsa battle unemployment

    Bayelsa State has keyed into the Federal Government’s Graduate Intenship Scheme (GIS) to engage some of its army of jobless graduates. GIS is a programme designed by the Federal Government to train unemployed graduates on specific skills and get them prepared for public and private jobs in line with their acquired skills.

    The GIS assembled scores of selected graduates in Yenagoa for a three-day orientation programme to send them to government-owned institutions as interns. The state  Project Director, GIS,  who was represented by Mr.  John Obande, explained that interns are trained on particular skills for a year with monthly stipends from the government.

    He said  the prospective interns must undergo an orientation programme to enable them learn office etiquette before leaving for their various organisations

    He said: “It is an orientation for skill development training. Usually when we engage interns for a one year internship we train them twice. The orientation training is basically to equip them  on how to work in an organization office,  etiquette and what they are expected to find and how to handle their work or their job wherever they are posted to”,

    “We usually advise the interns to take their internship period very seriously regardless of the position you are working for because most of them n bayelsa here are in government ministry we encourage them to be serious with their work let them not take it as another avenue where government throws money  at them, they should take their internship program very seriously. “

    He advised the potential interns to take their one year period of gathering skills and experience seriously and not to be carried away by the monthly stipends paid them by the government. He said many graduates who finished the programme were able to set up their private businesses and engage other interns.

    “So, we encourage them to be serious with it. But if they don’t take it serious and think of just collecting the stipends then the purpose of the internship will be defeated. It may be little but if they are serious with it they will go higher.

    “On assessing the participant usually every firm is supposed to send us their quarterly report of the interns sent to them which we will analyze to see the performance of each participant. We also carry out on-the spot check.

    “We visit the firms to see how the interns are going about their work. We have been having training in Bayelsa and across the country but this time around it is more because what we have before now in Bayelsa is private engagement but Bayelsa State government just joined the GIS in what we call the state partnership.

    “They brought lot of their graduates into ministries and federal government departments. This is the first time we are having partnership with Bayelsa state government. But it is not the first time firms in Bayelsa are taking interns and we have been training them”,  he said.

    He said  the  interns were performing very well in private engagement but the state engagement was just barely two months old. He said when the funding for SURE-P stopped in December 2014, the office got a budget from the Ministry of Finance to execute the GIS programme for one year.

    Also the beneficiaries used the occasion to narrate their experiences in government institutions. One of them Pere Okolonwata said he was undergoing training on teaching adding that he was deployed to teach senior secondary schools in Community Secondary School Arena.

    “Well looking at the experience aaspect I have not had the opportunity to teach in school before but this is my first time and am beginning to appreciate teaching and teachers the more”,  he said.

    Also, Ayebaekipreye Samuel Douglas who was posted to the Community Secondary School Agudama  Biogbolo,  said the system should be reviewed to include other sectors instead of educational sector alone.

  • Warri hosts health camp

    Home experts from Apollo Hospitals, India have said  Nigerians no longer have to travel abroad for the diagnosis  and management of cancer and neurological disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease and tremour. They said these services are available locally.

    This was one of the revelations at a health camp in Warri, Delta State.

    Head Manager, Health Care Services International, Apollo Hospitals, India, Abubakkar Siddique, said Nigeria has what it takes to handle those diseases.

    He spoke at a  two-day free  medical camp organised by the hospital in collaboration with the Capitol Hill Hospital, Warri, Delta State.

    According to Siddique, the Indian hospital will be in partnership with local hospitals to ensure proper diagnosis  of cancer and other neurological disorders.

    He said the hospital has about 64 facilities across India and four overseas, adding that it would be bringing its rich expertise and resources to Nigerian hospitals.

    Siddique said: “Our doctors from Apollo Hospitals are prepared to take Nigerian hospitals to greater medical heights, particularly in the area of continuous medical education (CME) and the provision of telemedicine/ tele-health services, training and development programmes”.

    The Chairman, Delta State Chapter of Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners in Nigeria (AGPMPN), Dr. Lucky Okparanyote,  said prompt diagnosis of cancer and access to specialists could reduce the number of Nigerian dying from cancer.

    Okparanyote identified ignorance and poverty as factors affecting early detection and treatment of cancer.

    He called on the Federal Government to support cancer patients because it is an expensive disease to treat.

    The Apollo team led by Prof. Krishna K.N, a Neuroscience Consultant and Dr. Anil Kameth, a senior consultant/ surgical oncologist offered free medical consultation.

  • NGO offers free surgery for children with cleft lip

    NGO offers free surgery for children with cleft lip

    A group, Smile Train, a Non-governmental Organisation in partnership with University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH),   has offered free surgery for children with cleft lip. The group, which came with eight specialist surgeons to carry out the operation using UPTH theatre, said no child needs to live with cleft.

    Over 30 children were operated  and as of when the Nation  left the theatre room some parents whose children had the defect were seen at the UPTH reception  making necessary preparation to benefit from the free surgery.

    Briefing reporters at the UPTH conference room after the first successful operation, Mrs.  Victoria Awazie, the team leader, Smile Train, said some parents had disowned their babies when they discovered that they had cleft lip problem.

    She said it was evil to throw away babies because he or she had defect.

    Awazie said it was because of the challenges children with the defect pass through that made Smile Train to offer free cleft surgery in Nigeria. She noted that over 11, 345 children have been successfully operated in Nigeria.  She added that there operation had been expanded to West African countries, India and other countries of the world.

    She said the main purpose while her group decided to offer free surgery around the world was because parents were seeing babies with defect as bad baby. She narrated how a woman who delivered a baby with cleft lip problem poisoned her baby twice because she did not want people to know that the baby she delivered has a defect.

    “This is not the first time we have been coming to Port Harcourt to partner with UPTH over this surgery. It is on record that some parents are now killing their own baby just because that baby has a defect. But it is bad, we are trying our best in terms of publicity to inform parents that they don’t need to kill their baby because of defect. Now we are in Port Harcourt we have been using the media to invite the public to bring any of their babies, relative, neighbour and friend who has cleft lip problem for free operation.  We are going to correct that defect and nobody would know that such baby has a defect.

    “The most important thing is for public to understand that the service is free. One thing the parent or the public needs to know is that no child needs to live with a cleft. And cleft lip child is not a curse or bad omen, anybody with a cleft lip problem can be helped. We have our specialist surgeons to do a neat operation. Our main objective is to bring smile to the faces of children and adult with cleft lip problem.

    The Chief Medical Director of UPTH, Prof. Aaron Ojule who showed gratitude for the free surgery offered by Smile Train said he wants privilege Nigerians to take the opportunity to contribute on the free surgery by donating to Smile Train since other faceless privilege individuals are paying bills to make the surgery free.

     

     

  • Cultists on rampage in Uyo

    Cultists on rampage in Uyo

    Gunmen suspected to be cultists have been laying siege on Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital in the last few weeks.

    Investigations revealed that last weekend no fewer than five persons were fatally injured when suspected cultists attacked a funeral vigil at Nduetong Oku, a suburb of Uyo, the state capital.

    It was learnt that a former youths’ leader popularly called Papa Bonjah and another resident of the area, Chidi, were among those injured when the assailants shot into the crowd of sympathisers at a funeral ceremony.

    According to Essien Akpan, a polytechnic student, those at the night vigil were mostly members of the Ntak Inyang Livestock and Slaughter Association who converged to condole with one of their colleagues who lost a parent.

    The incident, it was gathered, occurred at about 2am, sending mourners scampering for their safety while some brave youths combed the Nduetong neighbourhoods and other adjoining communities in search of the hoodlums.

    The victims, who were rushed to the Life care clinic on Udosen Uko Street, Uyo metropolis, according to an eye witness, were treated after clearance from the police.

    Also at the weekend, a funeral assembly was disrupted along Idak Okpo Street, Uyo, when two  groups  suspected to be members of Klaans and Mafians confraternity clashed.

    Several people were wounded with bottles, machetes, clubs and other offensive weapons before operatives of the State Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and the regular Police arrived.

    Worried by the resurgence of the problem, which had receded after the elections, the Department of State Services (DSS),  read riot act to cultists, warning them of drastic consequences if they sustain such nefarious crime.

    The State Director of DSS, Mr. Ayodele Adesina, disclosed that cultism and kidnapping rank high among major crimes perpetrated by criminal elements in the State and assured that with the cooperation of the civil society and the security agencies, such menace would be effectively checked.

    According to him, the DSS, working with intelligence information had successfully quelled cultism in parts of the state, especially Ikot Ekpene, where activities of the hoodlums had crippled socio-economic lives of the people.

    “If you go to Ikot Ekpene now, the place is peaceful,” the DSS chief said and enjoined the people to collaborate with the agency and other security operatives by volunteering information  concerning unwholesome practices of hoodlums.

    Since he assumed duties, Adesina, who spoke on the ‘media and security challenges facing the country’ at the just concluded Press Week organised by the State Council of NUJ, said the DSS had achieved a lot in the recent times.

    For instance, he disclosed that the Service bust several cultism and kidnapping cases, vowing to prosecute those arrested in connection with the crimes in court.

    Urging restive youths to shake off their criminal tendencies, Adesina said he was  engaging ExxonMobil and government with a view to securing their commitment to investing in youths’ empowerment schemes and vocational training for former militants.

    He noted that such palliative interventions became necessary to draw the former fighters out of the creeks, adding that such meaningful engagement would force the ex-militants to drop their guns and embrace peace.

    He added that when companies adhere to their corporate social responsibilities to the people, their operational areas would be peaceful and safe for business.

  • Jonathan to be honoured in Switzerland

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan will on January 21, 2016 be honoured in Geneva Switzerland for his role in promoting peace and democratic practice in Nigeria and Africa by extension.

    The former president, who will also be the guest of honour, is to deliver a key note address at the annual event organised by the Diplomatic Circlers, a group of diplomats from all over the world.

    The group said: “He is the first African leader in and out of office to be so honoured by this revered group for his democratic credentials and upholding human rights in Africa .

    “This goes to show that he has become not just a national asset to Nigeria but to Africa and global community.Since he conceded defeat at the last presidential election and congratulated the winner, Dr. Jonathan’s image has continued soar and is seen as a reference and model for other African leaders.”

  • Bayelsa jagajaga

    When  rap artiste Idris Abdulkareem sang “Nigeria jagajaga, everything scatter, scatter”, he incurred the wrath of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. The then president was so angry that he took on Idris in public. The musician replied with another song.

    Today, I sing “Bayelsa jagajaga, everything scatter, scatter” and I do not give a damn if anyone is angry. There were gun shots in the air. Poor men suffered. Big men felt pain. Men threw caution to the wind. Brawn replaced brain.  Personal interest won a contest against general interest. All because of politics of bitterness.

    Hell really came down last Saturday and Sunday when the people of Bayelsa went to the poll to choose the man who will lead them for the next four years. Before the contest, the two main contenders, Governor Seriake Dickson and ex-Governor Timpre Sylva. Dickson, threw serious jibes at each other. One called the other a ‘guy man governor’. The other described his rival as a ‘bush man’.

    Dickson is of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Sylva is of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    At the end of voting on Saturday, the people of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, which is said to be home to 33 per cent of the voters in the state, with over 120, 000 registered voters, could not vote. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said the security situation in the area was not conducive for its men to conduct the poll. It rescheduled the election for the next day.

    Dickson criticised INEC for deciding to hold the election on Sunday. He said there was need for adequate security to be put in place before the poll could hold. This was an opinion Sylva did not share. As far as he was concerned, the election could go on.

    The election held as planned but when it was time to announce the result, all hell broke loose. By that time, INEC had announced the result in seven of the eight local government areas in the state. Of the seven, Dickson had won in  six. Sylva won in one.

    For Sylva, Southern Ijaw, where his running mate hails from, was another place he was sure of winning. His camp was confident that with votes from Southern ijaw, his chances of being governor again were alive. They were not worried by Dickson’s win in six local governments, whose combined registered voters were just a little over Southern Ijaw’s.

    Dickson obviously was not unaware of the danger Southern Ijaw votes could do to his political career. That explained why he kept shouting against the process in Southern Ijaw right from the beginning.

    By 2pm on Monday, Dickson ordered his supporters to take to the streets to protest against the release of the result from Southern Ijaw, which he said had been doctored by the APC.

    A report on Premium Times  showed that on Monday afternoon, two vans zoomed into the INEC office in Yenagoa. They bore ballot boxes which the occupants of the vans said were from Southern Ijaw. They also claimed soldiers shot at them to prevent them from bringing the ballot boxes into the INEC compound. They were clearly not INEC officials. It was not long after this that INEC called a press conference to announce the cancellation of the election in Southern Ijaw.

    Dickson was happy. Sylva was not. He said democracy was the victim of INEC’s decision. The electoral body said because of irregularities it could not announce the result. Violence, ballot snatching and intimidation of electoral officers were the irregularities complained about. Dickson had 105,748 votes; Sylva had 71,794 from seven of the eight local governments in the state. And with more than 120,827 voters registered in Southern Ijaw, INEC could not declare a winner since Sylva could still garner enough to upstage Dickson.

    Sylva said the APC might head for the court to enforce the declaration of the result which he said clearly showed that the APC was winning. He queried why INEC capitulated to the demands of the PDP and Dickson who insisted that the election in Southern Ijaw be cancelled, yet nothing was done to consider his protest on violence in Nembe and Ekeremor.

    The Sylva campaign organisation, in a statement by its director of publicity, Chief Nathan Egba, complained that “in the past two days alone, Governor Dickson has been on the air on several radio stations in Yenagoa, the state capital, inciting Bayelsans against the Federal Government and establishments.

    “It is surprising to note that even when Governor Dickson claims to be leading in six out of the seven results so far released, he is still the one complaining and calling for protests as well as civil disobedience.

    “Governor Dickson’s desperation to cling to office in the face of imminent outright rejection by the people of Southern Ijaw which is APC’s strongest hold and coincidentally the LGA with the largest voter’s strength, has made him breach so many electoral laws.

    “Our campaign organisation does not have any option at this point than to call for his outright disqualification from the governorship race.”

    On the other hand, the governor said electoral materials meant for the election were distributed late at night on Sunday and subsequently hijacked by suspected APC thugs aided by military personnel.

    The governor said: “If you ask who is creating this mess, it is the APC-led federal government deploying for the first time military personnel to humiliate and attack people and forcing them to vote at midnight. It has never happened anywhere in this country.

    “The reason for this avoidable mess in Southern Ijaw is because by the calculation of the APC-led government, with the tacit support of the military to forcibly hijack some election materials on that Sunday was so that they can aid APC to write results without voting.”

    There is a stalemate now. For me, everything is just upside down. Things have fallen apart and the centre unable to hold. I have a feeling that even when INEC eventually holds the supplemantary poll in Southern Ijaw and announce a winner, all will still not be well with ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s state.

    My final take: The people of Bayelsa State are more important than the ambition of any politician. Resorting to violence to settle political scores is certainly not a virtue anyone should be associated with. The people should come first and this means fairplay must be the wtachword.