The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Bayelsa guber poll

  • Election: Police restrict movements on Bayelsa waterways

    Election: Police restrict movements on Bayelsa waterways

    The Police in Bayelsa said on Friday that movement of some water transportation facilities and river craft activities would be restricted during the governorship election in the state on Saturday.

    It also announced that movement of persons, motor vehicles and tricycles would be restricted from the hours of 6am to 6pm on the election date.

    This is contained in a statement by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Asinim Butswat, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, in Yenagoa.

    It said that the restriction was from 7 p.m. on Friday to 7 a.m. on Sunday, adding that boats fitted with 200 horsepower engine and above was not permitted to move during the period.

    “Any person or group of persons who violates this order will be arrested and prosecuted accordingly.

    “Likewise, movement of persons, motor vehicles and tricycles will be restricted d on the election date, from the hours of 6am to 6pm.

    “Only those on essential services will be allowed to move,” it said.

    It urged the electorate to go out and exercise their franchise “by casting their votes for candidates of their choice.”

    The statement warned that the command would deal with political parties and candidates who fomented trouble during and after the poll.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, had on Tuesday in Yenagoa, announced that 14,000 policemen had been deployed for election duty.

    The statement said that the police had increased patrols and intensive surveillance in all parts of the state.

    “All political parties and their contestants should desist from any act capable of disrupting the election process.

    “ They are advised to abide by the peace accord they had earlier signed and comply with the regulations guiding the electoral process,” it said.

    The statement said the police had synergized with other security agencies to ensure smooth and credible election.

  • Court adjourns Sylva’s eligibility suit to January 12

    Court adjourns Sylva’s eligibility suit to January 12

    An FCT High Court, Maitama has fixed January 12, 2016 for hearing in a suit challenging the eligibility of Timipreye Sylva to contest the forthcoming governorship election in Bayelsa.

    Sylva, a former governor of Bayelsa, is the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the December 5 governorship election in Bayelsa.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Bayelsa governor, Seriake Dickson and his party; the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) filed the suit seeking to disqualify Sylva from participating in the election.

    The plaintiffs are asking the court to declare that Sylva was not qualified to contest the election because he had been elected twice and had taken oath of office twice as governor of the state.

    At the resumed hearing of the case on Tuesday, counsel to the plaintiffs, Friday Nwosu said that Sylva had previously been elected twice as governor of Bayelsa in 2007 and 2008.

    “The 2007 election was nullified by the Court Of Appeal and Sylva contested and won the re-run election, whereupon he was elected the second time and served for about a cumulative period of four years and seven months as the governor of the state.

    “He now seeks to be elected a third time as governor of Bayelsa state in the said forthcoming elections.

    “This is against the relevant constitutional provision in section 182 (1)(b) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended.

    “The section states that, `no person shall be qualified for election to the office of governor of a state if-

    “ (b) he has been elected to such office at any two previous elections”

    Counsel to the defendants, Akeem Afolabi, said they have filed a preliminary objection challenging the territorial jurisdiction of the FCT High Court to hear the case.

    Afolabi said that the case related to the office of governor of Bayelsa; it is either the Bayelsa High Court or the Federal High Court that has the jurisdiction to entertain it.

    Justice Mukhtar Dodo ordered the lawyers to serve all the processes in the case on parties to the suit.

    He adjourned till January 12, 2016 for continuation of hearing.

  • PDP thugs attacked, killed, our members – Bayelsa APC

    PDP thugs attacked, killed, our members – Bayelsa APC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC), Bayelsa State chapter, Friday, raised the alarm over the attacks on its members at communities in Ekeremor and Southern Ijaw local government areas of the state by thugs it identified as members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The party, in a statement signed by the Sylva/Igiri Campaign Organisation (SICO) said the wave of attacks sweeping across the state left of its members, Mr. Andrew June, dead.

    SICO’s Director, Media and Publicity, Chief Nathan Egba, said June was murdered at Oweigbene community in Ekeremor when suspected PDP thugs ambushed members of the APC.

    Egba said the thugs also went on rampage in Otuan community ward 5 in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area destroying buildings belonging to APC members and all other APC campaign banners and billboards.

    He said the destruction was carried out as part of preparations for the visit of the PDP candidate and the Governor of the state, Mr.Seriake Dickson, for his campaign rally.

    He said: “This unwarranted attack is coming on the heels of warning by the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, to deal with anyone who perpetrates violence and violates electoral laws during the elections in Kogi and Bayelsa States.

    “Mr. Andrew June, an APC stalwart in Oweigbene community was murdered by a mob of PDP supporters alleged to have been sponsored by a PDP chieftain.

    “The deceased, Mr. June and several APC supporters who sustained various degrees of injuries as a result of the attack were ambushed at Toru-gbene community en route Oweigbene after the APC rally in Ekeremor town, Ekeremor Local Government Area on Wednesday, 18th November, 2015.

    “The deceased and other APC supporters sustained injuries from machetes cut and were rushed to Ojobo General Hospital in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State, where Mr. June later died.

    “The injured APC members are still receiving treatment in different hospitals in the area while the remains of the deceased have been deposited in a mortuary at Oporo.”

    He said in Otuan, the thugs were allegedly led by two serving Special Advisers to Governor Dickson, and members of the Bayelsa Volunteers Force (BVF) to unleash terror on innocent APC members.

    According to him a well-known member of BVF reportedly brought in thugs from outside Otuan community while one of the thugs reportedly chopped-off the ear of an APC supporter during an inspection tour of damaged APC campaign materials.

    “The attack continued later in the evening of Thursday, 19th November till the morning of Friday, November, 20th, 2015 as PDP supporters kept shooting sporadically to intimidate and scare APC supporters.

    “Residents of Otuan community, a strong-hold of the APC have now deserted the community as people had to run for their lives.

    “Already, the leader of the party in Otuan ward 5, Prince Coronation Tokpo, forwarded a petition on the incident to the Commissioner of Police to investigate the provocative attack and bring the perpetrators to justice.

    “We call on Governor Seriake Dickson to respect the peace accord he signed by calling his supporters to order to avoid further blood-shed.

    “Bayelsans could now confirm the party and candidate that is violent and desperate to use force in a bid to win the election at all cost.

    “The Governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Chief Timipre Sylva, was billed to tour communities in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area in continuation of his campaign before the reported attack on the members,” he said.

  • Bayelsa APC chief, Sylva clash over running mate

    The governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Chief Timipre Sylva and the party’s Chairman in Bayelsa State, Mr. Tiwe Oruminighe, are at each others’ throats over issues bordering on selection of running mate for the party’s governorship candidate.

    Youths loyal to Tiwe stormed the party’s secretariat along Yeni-zuegene, Mbiama-Yenagoa road on Tuesday and destroyed billboards, banners, posters and other campaign materials of Sylva.

    The angry youths are demanding that Tiwe must pair with Sylva in the December 5 governorship election in Bayelsa.

    The activities of the youths caused tension in the area and led to the deployment of armed policemen to forestall further breakdown of law and order.

    The secretariat was shut down temporarily to avoid possible invasion of the offices by aggrieved youths.

    The pro-Tiwe youths, who carried placards, said APC would cease to exist in the state if Sylva denied Tiwe the running mate slot.

    One of the youths who identified himself as the Chairman of all ward chairmen, Mr. Jefta Ikuruel, said the protest was to warn the party against sidelining Tiwe.

    He said Tiwe was the choice of the grassroot, insisting that without the party chairman as a running mate, Sylva and APC would not win the election.

    Also, the Chairman of APC in Ward 11, Mr. Exodus Ebi, said Sylva was violating a sealed agreement that he would pick Tiwe as his running mate.

    He said: “All the ward chairmen unanimously agree that Tiwe will be Sylva’s runnings mate. Tiwe is the only man that can reach the grassroot and it is because of him that we are making sacrifices. It is not because of Sylva. He should give us Tiwe.”

    Speaking further, another ward Chairman, Okoro Magbisa, said Sylva should kiss the election good bye without Tiwe.

     

  • Why l joined Bayelsa governorship race – Sylva

    Why l joined Bayelsa governorship race – Sylva

    Former Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva, said he joined the December 5 governorship race to rescue the state from its “current” political confusion and economic hopelessness.

    Sylva in a statement signed by his media aide, Mr. Doifie Buokoribo, told his supporters to remain steadfast and focus on the goal of winning the governorship election in the state.

    The former governor spoke following the postponement of the All Progressive Congress governorship primary from September 19 to September 22.

    He said: “I appeal to all our supporters, delegates, and the entire APC family in Bayelsa State to stay focused, positive, and determined as we wait for the new date, September 22, fixed by the national headquarters of our great party for the primary election in the state.

    “My participation in the governorship race is borne out of a firm decision to help steer our state away from the current course of political confusion and economic hopelessness, and return it to the path of freedom, progress, and hope. The foundation upon which our founding fathers had agitated and won the struggle for a distinct political territory within Nigeria.

    [ad id=”403656″]”That resolve, having been backed by the popular opinion of our people, I assure you that we are on course. I have no doubt that come next Tuesday, I would emerge the candidate of our great party, APC, for the December 5 governorship election.

    “The primary election is just a process to our ultimate goal of retrieving our collective political destiny from the PDP grabbers, who have arrested the development of the state since 2012, and fulfilling it for the good of all.”

    Sylva, who is also the leader of APC in the state, further appealed for calm and understanding among APC members in state.

    He said: “We should de-emphasise the small differences that necessarily accompany primary elections like this and focus our attention on the big picture, the collective responsibility of rescuing our state from the stranglehold of a few intolerant despots masquerading as politicians in PDP. We will win.

    “Bayelsa must be free. Bayelsa must progress. Bayelsa must change with the wind of change blowing across the land.”

     

     

  • Bayelsa poll: Jonathan, Ijaw leaders to attend Dickson’s declaration

    Bayelsa poll: Jonathan, Ijaw leaders to attend Dickson’s declaration

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan, former Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief D.S.P. Alamieyeseigha, Ijaw leaders and other political heavyweights from the South-South are among dignitaries that will attend the second term declaration of Bayelsa State governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson

    Others expected at the event slated for September 8 in Yenagoa are the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), PDP governors and National Assembly members.

    Alamieyeseigha described Dickson as a good product that will be easy to market for a second term in office.

    He spoke when the governor visited him at his country home in Amassoma community in the Southern Ijaw local government area of Bayelsa.

    According to the former governor, Dickson has performed well and deserves a second term to consolidate on the gains of the restoration agenda.

    He stressed that it is only a man like Dickson, who has performed creditably well that can bring victory for the PDP in the December 5 governorship polls.

  • Bayelsa guber poll: Supreme Court dismisses Sylva’s appeal

    Bayelsa guber poll: Supreme Court dismisses Sylva’s appeal

    The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed an appeal filed by a former governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva, challenging the choice of Governor Seriake Dickson as the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate in the 2012 governorship election held in the state.

    Sylva in the appeal argued that he and not Dickson should have been picked as the party’s candidate for the election.

    In a unanimous decision by a five-man bench, the apex court resolved the two issues raised for determination against the appellant, Sylva.

    Justice Sylvester Ngwuta, who read the lead judgment on Friday, came down hard on the former governor for wasting the court’s time.

    He awarded, N500, 000 cost against Sylva, to be paid to Dickson (3rd respondent).

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the PDP, who were listed as 1st and 2nd defendants, are to bear the cost.

    Sylva (then a serving governor) had won the primary election conducted by the party in January 2011 in anticipation that the governorship election will hold later that year.

    Before the election, for which he (Sylva) was to stand as the party’s candidate, could be held, he got a judgment of a Federal High Court, Yenagoa, extending his tenure.

    The Court of Appeal upheld the judgment and held that Sylva’s tenure would end on January 28, 2012.

    Following the development, INEC rescheduled the governorship election for February 2012.

    The PDP later conducted a fresh primary, for which Sylva bought form, got screened along with other candidates, but was disqualified by the party. The primary was won by Dickson.