The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Bayelsa

  • APC has no structure to win in Bayelsa, says Dickson

    The Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has taunted the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) saying the party lacked required structures to win the November 2nd governorship election in the state.

    Dickson, who spoke during the expanded State Executive Committee (SEC) meeting of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) at the party’s Secretariat in Yenagoa said the state APC could only rely on federal might and security agencies in the election.

    The meeting had in attendance Chief Thompson Okorotie, Senator Ben Murray Bruce, Chief (Mrs) Remi Kuku, Douye Diri, Senator- elect Bayelsa  Central Senatorial District; Fred Agbedi, representing Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal constituency, members of the State House of Assembly, wards and local government chairmen  and host of others

    At the meeting, the PDP called on its members to shun any act capable of robbing the party of victory in the coming election describing the pending poll as isolated. 

    The party frowned on the activities of some of its members during the previous elections and cautioned against the repeat of such ignoble act.

    The SEC during the meeting also ratified the reports of the disciplinary committee set up to review the activities of some of its members during the last general elections.

    But a statement on Tuesday by the Director of Strategic Communication, Governor’s office, Chief Nathan Egba Ologo quoted the governor as deriding the state chapter of the APC.

    Dickson said the APC’s reliance on federal might and security agencies would fail them and warned PDP members against anti-party activities.

    He said that for Bayelsa to maintain its position as a stronghold of PDP there was a need for members to put aside their differences and work for the success of the party in the coming election.

    Dickson insisted that in the coming election, the PDP would be contending against federal might. 

    He said: “There are two systems that will clash again in this governorship election. They are the state system which I lead with our teaming supporters and the Federal system that will be deployed in this election. As a result, the old way of playing politics must change.

    “Bayelsa is a stronghold of PDP. We are going to prove that again with our voters cards in the forthcoming Governorship election. We cannot be intimidated by heavy presence of security operatives and political thugs. They had failed in the past. They will fail again this time around”.

    Dickson, who commended the activities of some of the party faithful during the last general elections, said their efforts would be adequately rewarded.

    He said appointments would be made at the grassroots level as a way of rewarding persons, who worked for the party’s success.

    He promised to constitute chairmen and members of the 32 Rural Development Authorities in the state.

    “We have been running our state as one and I hope people coming after us will work together in peace. I appreciate everybody’s contribution. We together created a new Bayelsa and a new leadership style so that we can bring stability and development”, he said.

    The governor expressed appreciation to party leaders and members for their unwavering dedication and support to his leadership and the party.

    In his remarks, the State PDP Chairman, Mr. Moses Cleopas stressed that discipline was key in restoring order in any organization desirous of advancing its cause.

    Cleopas applauded Governor Dickson for displaying uncommon courage in uniting the party at the state and national levels and called on members to sink their differences and work harder for the success of the party.

    Also speaking, the Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral John Jonah (Retd), lauded the efforts of the Dickson at uniting the party at the state and national levels and underscored the need for the members to remain resolute in their quest to deliver the state in the coming election.

    “Dickson has performed brilliantly in repositioning the economy of the state, as the state now ranks among the growing economies in the country”, he said.

    He added that for the present administration to finish strong, Dickson needed the support of all and sundry, irrespective of the political divides.

    In his contribution, Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Konbowei Benson said he would seek legal redress in retrieving his stolen mandate at the last general election and solicited support from the party.

  • Man kills lover over infidelity

    A 28-year-old man, Munado Tomworio, has allegedly killed his lover, Victoria Ekalamene, at Oluasiri in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

    The suspect allegedly shot dead his girlfriend after accusing her of infidelity.

    He was said to have queried the deceased at gunpoint about an unknown man and suddenly the gun went off, shattering her face.

    It was gathered that the incident, which occurred at about 11pm on Sunday, caused panic.

    Following the sound of the gun, residents were said to have rushed to the scene, overpowered and apprehended the suspect.

    Sources said he was handed over to the police for investigation and prosecution.

    Read also: SORROWFUL DAY IN BAYELSA

    An eyewitness, who spoke in confidence, wondered why a man would kill a girl he had not paid her dowry, on suspicion of cheating.

    Police spokesman Asinim Butswat confirmed the incident, saying the suspect was being detained at the command’s headquarters in Yenagoa.

    Butswat, a Superintendent of Police, said:  “On April 14, at about 2245 hrs, Mr. Munabo Tonworio, male, 28, shot dead his lover, Victoria Ekalamene, female, after a quarrel, at the home of the deceased at Oluasiri in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

    The murder weapon, a locally- made gun and an expended AA ammunition, were recovered from the scene. The suspect has been arrested and is being detained at the State Criminal and Investigative Department (SCID), Yenagoa. Investigation is on.”

  • Lover shoots girlfriend dead in Bayelsa for infidelity

    Tragedy struck in Oluasiri, Nembe Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, following gruesome murder of a young girl identified simply as Victoria Ekalamene by her male lover known as Munado Tomworio.

    Munado said to be 28 years old reportedly shot his girlfriend in the face, killing her on the spot after accusing her of infidelity.

    He was said to have held the deceased at gunpoint while querying her about an unknown man and suddenly the gun went off and shattered the girl’s face.

    It was gathered that the ugly incident, which occurred at about 11pm on Sunday unsettled Oluasiri community.

    Following the sound of the gun, residents in the community were said to have rushed to the scene of the disaster, overpowered and apprehended the culprit.

    Sources said he was immediately handed over to the police for investigation and prosecution.

    An eyewitness, who spoke in confidence, wondered why a man would kill a girl he had not paid her bride price on suspicion of cheating.

    He said: “We live in a society that you don’t trust anybody including your own shadow.

    “This young guy was a well- known respectful and jovial friend to all and sundry but proved himself to be a heartless evil doer.

    “He raised his gun and shot this innocent lady called his girlfriend at Oluasiri Nembe, not any part of her body but her precious face.

    “As a soil of the community, he lives in Okipiri, Nembe. The offence is a suspicion of cheating, a lady whom you have not even paid the bride price?

    “What a condemnable act and demonic wickedness. Brother, we don’t believe that you have such a wicked heart. You disappointed many. You must face the law”.

    READ ALSO: Suspected cultists kill driver over girlfriend

    The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Asinim Butswat confirmed the incident saying the suspect was being detained at the command headquarters in Yenagoa.

    Butswat, a Superintendent of Police, said: “On 14/04/2019 at about 2245 hrs one Munabo Tonworio ‘m’ 28 years shot dead his lover one Victoria Ekalamene ‘f’ after a quarrel at the residence of the deceased in Oluasiri, Nembe Local Government Area, Bayelsa State.

    The murder weapon, a locally made gun and expanded AA ammunition were recovered from the scene. The suspect has been arrested and is being detained at the SCIID, Yenagoa. Investigation is ongoing”.

  • SORROWFUL DAY IN BAYELSA

    It was a day of grief, tears and emotions in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, yesterday as the remains of the Government House Photographer, Reginald Dei, and a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Seidougha Taribi, allegedly murdered by soldiers on the day of the last presidential election, were committed to mother earth.

    Taribi was until his death a Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Grassroots Mobilisation.

    Governor Seriake Dickson, who spoke during the commendation service in honour of the two young men in Yenagoa, said they were gruesomely murdered in their own home by yet to be identified soldiers during the last presidential and National Assembly elections in Oweikoroagha, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.

    A statement issued by Governor Dickson’s Special Adviser on Media Relations, Mr Fidelis Soriwei, quoted the governor as condemning incessant deployment of state institutions to undermine the peace and stability of Bayelsa for political reasons since 2015.

    The governor offered automatic employment to the young widows of the deceased as well as scholarships to the children they left behind.

    The grieving governor said the two corpses were clear evidence of the politically motivated killings allegedly perpetrated by leaders of the opposition in the state.

    He said it was absurd and reprehensible for criminals to be given security cover in the residence of supposed opposition leaders after allegedly committing brazen acts of criminality against the state as was the case in the murder of Dei and Seidougha.

    “Security operatives were put at the disposal of APC leaders in the state to intimidate, kill and maim our people during the last election,” Governor Dickson alleged.

    He described the burial of the Oweikorogha two as one of the saddest days of his administration as the duo were killed by soldiers who were taken to their residence by some Oweikorogha citizens to murder them.

    He said: “Today is a sad day not because of the very young age at which their lives were cut short, but because of the way and manner they were murdered in cold blood in Oweikoroagha in their own homes by uniformed men at the command and behest of political operatives.”

    He lamented that the main culprit in the dastardly act boasted that he would go to the residence of an opposition leader in Abuja to evade arrest by security men, as if Abuja had become a sanctuary for killers.

    The governor added: “The killers in Bayelsa are known and are protected by the agencies òf the Nigerian state. If anyone ever thought that all I have been saying about killers and their protection was politics, here lies the evidence.

    “The Federal Government is not interested in the peace, security and stability of Bayelsa. They want Bayelsa to be turned into a state òf blood like other states.

    “In Katsina, there were no killings. But here, soldiers were deployed for all  opposition politicians.”

    Read also: Photos: Bayelsa buries victims of electoral violence

    The governor urged the people of the state to remain calm and vigilant, stating that his administration would embark on what he called ‘the Niger Delta Movement’ to mobilise people in their various communities on how to defend themselves, since the Federal Government had failed in its primary responsibility of protecting lives and properties.

    Paying tributes to the deceased persons, Governor Dickson described Dei as a very good professional, dedicated member of the media team in Government House, and Taribi as a decent and honourable young man.

    He said that the late photographer drew commendations from even visitors and foreigners to Government House because of his devotion to duty.

    Speaking during a meeting with political appointees in Yenagoa, Dickson had accused the leadership of the nation’s security agencies of deliberately shielding the perpetrators of the heinous acts.

    He also described the gruesome killings as an act of terrorism against the state, noting that Dei and Taribi were not near any polling unit when soldiers were led to kill them in their residence in Oweikorogha.

    Dickson berated the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and its Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state for allegedly conniving with the opposition to subvert the will of the people.

    He pointed out that despite the sacking of Bassambiri in Nembe LGA, and failure to use card readers during the election, INEC went ahead to accept fake results to foist a Senator and House òf Representatives member on the people.

    Continue in page 2

  • Photos: Bayelsa buries victims of electoral violence

    The Bayelsa State Government on Friday buried the late Government House photographer, Reginald Dei and Ward Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Seidougha Taribi, who were reportedly killed by soldiers during the last elections in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state.

    wife of Reginald Dei, the slain Govt House photograper
    wife of Reginald Dei, the slain Govt House photograper
    Commissioner for Information, Daniel Iworiso-Markson (second R) and others at the funeral
    Governor of Bayelsa Seriake Dickson, his Deputy and Speaker Kombowei Benson at the burial

    Read Also: Bayelsa buries victims of electoral violence

    some of the crying relations
    Some of the crying relations
    crying relations of the deceased

  • Ecological disaster threatens to wipe out Bayelsa community

    Odi Community in Kolokuma-Opokuma Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, has cried out to President Muhammadu Buhari following recurrence of a natural disaster in the area caused by river surge.

    The River Nun surrounding the community is threatening to wipe out Odi as it constantly overflows its banks destroying houses, roads and other facilities.

    Recently, the surge pulled down four houses and ravaged a large portion of the major road in a major disaster that unsettled the community.

    But the Secretary of Odi Chief Council, Chief Throughman Abiama, said the old solution to the ecological disaster is a shoreline protection.

    Abiama said a proposal for the community’s shoreline protection contract was before the Federal Executive Council and appealed to the Federal Government to approve it.

    He further pleaded to the Niger Delta Ministry to quickly intervene and save Odi community from extinction.

    Also speaking, the Chairman, Odi Community Development Committee (CDC), Mr. Goddy Niweigha, said the community was informed that the shoreline project was captured in the 2018 Budget of the Federal Government through the efforts of its kinsman and stalwart of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Preye Aganaba.

    Specifically, he said the project was published in major national dailies through the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.

    He said: “We are calling on President Buhari and the Niger Delta Ministry, to ome to our aid and ensure that the approval process is fast-tracked.Time is of the essence,as you can see, Odi community is on the verge of being washed away into the River Nun.”

  • Bayelsa buries victims of electoral violence

    The Bayelsa State Government on Friday buried the late Government House photographer, Reginald Dei and Ward Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Seidougha Taribi, who were reportedly killed by soldiers during the last elections in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state.

    A statement by the Special Adviser, Media Relations, Fidelis Soriwei, quoted Governor Seriake Dickson as saying that the victims were interred in Yenagoa, the state capital.

    Speaking during a meeting with political appointees in Yenagoa, Dickson accused the leadership of the nation’s security agencies of deliberately shielding the perpetrators of the heinous acts.

    He said that the masterminds of the violence and killings during the election were being protected from arrest and prosecution.

    He said: “These two young men were cut down in their prime for no reason. The criminals responsible for this heinous crime are being guarded by security agencies. It is indeed another sad reminder of the things the Federal Government do to us as a state.”

    Dickson described the gruesome killings as acts of terrorism against the state adding that Dei and Taribi were not near any polling unit when soldiers were led to kill them in their residence in Oweikorogha, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area òf the state.

    The governor condemned the use of the country’s Armed Forces and security agencies for brazen acts of murder and terrorism against innocent citizens.

    Dickson also berated the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and its Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state for colluding with the opposition to subvert the will of the people.

    He pointed out that despite the sacking of Bassambiri in Nembe LGA, and failure to use card readers during the election, INEC went ahead to accept fake results to foist a Senator and House òf Representatives on the people.

    He said: “You can see that in most of the states where the RECs were firm, INEC said no, let the result come from the field; even with the big names and money, they were firm.

    “But here in Bayelsa, a community like Bassambiri in Nembe LGA was sacked and the next day, after 24 hours of shooting, they just drove election materials straight to their location and INEC went on to announce what it got. Card readers were not used and yet some persons are parading themselves as winners.”

    Read Also: Host communities kick against Dickson’s commission of inquiry

    The governor charged party faithful to expect more intimidation and harassment from the APC ahead of the gubernatorial election in the state”

    “The APC’s plan for the governorship election is more than what we saw in the last election because the next one is an isolated election. They are planning to do ten times even more and that is why you must be steadfast and calm”, he said.

    He said that the state PDP Chairman, Mr. Moses Cleopas, would soon set up a committee to examine the party’s results in the last election in the various units, wards and communities.

    He said stakeholders and party leaders of the would appear before the committee to give account of their stewardship.

  • INEC fixes November 2 for Bayelsa, Kogi governorship polls

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed November 2 for the governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states.

    INEC’s National Commissioner in-charge of Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye, said in a statement that the decision was taken at a meeting yesterday.

    According to the timetable and schedule of activities for the elections, parties are expected to produce their candidates between August 2 and 29.

    The commission also said that public campaigns by political parties will kick-off on August 2 and end on   October 31.

    The statement reads: “The Commission at its meeting held today (yesterday) approved the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the govemorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states which will hold on Saturday, 2nd November, 2019.

    “The official notice for both elections will be issued on 1st  August, 2019 while political parties that intend to sponsor candidates are to hold their primaries for the nomination of such candidates from 2nd -29th August, 2019.

    “Campaigns by political parties in public shall commence on 2nd August, 2019 and end on 31st October, 2019.

    “The parties, sponsoririg candidates are required to submit the list of their agents not later than 2nd October, 2019.

    “The stated timelines are in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended). All stakeholders are urged to take cognizance of and adhere strictly to them.”

    The commission also approved the conduct of an extensive review and debriefing on the 2019 general elections.

    These reviews and debriefing will take place between May and June.

    Okoye said in the statement: “The Commission met today (yesterday) and approved a proposal to conduct an extensive review and debriefing on the 20l9 general elections in line with its existing practice.

    “This is intended to evaluate the Commission’s performance of the key activities of the general elections with a view to addressing identified challenges and strengthening operational and institutional capacities to conduct free, fair, credible and peaceful elections.

    “The review will focus on the planning, organisation, conduct and coordination of the general elections, panicularly on the following: logistics, procurement and deployment of personnel and materials; continuous voter registration and collection of permanent voter cards; legal environment of the elections, particularly the legal challenges experienced over nomination of candidates and conduct of elections.

    Also to be reviewed are: processes of party registration,  party primaries and nomination of candidates; quality of ad hoc staff; relationship between the Commission and diverse stakeholders, including political parties, security agencies, civil society organisations, the media and development partners; and quality of inclusivity of the elections, particularly regarding persons with disability, lDPs and gender balance.

    “Two sets of activities are envisaged in the reviews as follows:  internal reviews, involving National Commissioners, Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs); Electoral Officers, Collation and Returning Officers as well as other key staff of the Commission; review meetings with key stakeholders.

    The Commission, Okoye also revealed, has commenced work on a comprehensive report of the 2019 general elections and has mandated its Electoral Institute to undertake detailed researches into various aspects of the elections.

    “It is the Commission’s hope that the outcomes of these reviews and studies will feed into further electoral reforms and its preparations for handing and future elections,” Okoye said in the statement.

  • Landslide destroys 10 houses in Bayelsa

    A major landslide has destroyed 10 houses in Odi community, Kolokuma-Opokuma Area Council of Bayelsa, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

    NAN gathered on Monday, that the incident which occurred near the bank of the River Nun, on Sunday, caused panic in the community.

    Mr James Dounana, a resident in Odi attributed the landslide to marine erosion, saying it might have been triggered by indiscriminate sand dredging from the River.

    “It was God’s doing that the incident happened during the day and not night.

    “It is one of the many challenges faced by riverine communities. It started at about 7: 00 a.m. as earth tremor; and two hours later, the ground gave way causing the houses to collapse.

    Read Also: Tears as Bayelsa community buries slain APC supporter

    “Thank God no life was lost,’’ Dounana said.

    Mr Tonye Isenah,the Chief Whip of Bayelsa State House of Assembly and member-elect for Kolokuma/Opokuma constituency I, and an indigene of Odi, visited the affected community on Monday.

    Isenah expressed concern over the level of destruction caused by the river erosion.

    He called on the relevant authorities to come to the aid of the victims.

  • Host communities kick against Dickson’s commission of inquiry

    A group of host communities in Bayelsa State at the weekend kicked against the establishment of a commission of inquiry by the state Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, to investigate activities of oil companies and surveillance contractors.

    The group under the aegis of the Integrated Oil and Gas Host Communities (IOGHC) described the commission as a witch-hunt against key members of the opposition political parties especially the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Speaking in Yenagoa, the state capital, the Board Chairman, IOGHC, Mr. Gift Ebiki insisted that the commission was given a mandate by the state government to indict APC members involved in pipeline surveillance contracts.

    Ebiki lamented that despite acting as the mainstay of the country’s economy, the host communities were abandoned by both the federal and state governments.

    He said the communities depended solely on oil companies and their contractors for development and employment adding that the state government through its commission was making frantic efforts to stop their only sources of benefits.

    He explained that pipeline surveillance contract was a strategic master plan to secure the pipeline from vandals insisting that the contractors involved host communities in securing oil production facilities in their domain.

    He said such contractual agreements helped to curb the vandalism of oil pipeline by oil thieves and other criminal elements.

    He said: “We found this association basically for the interest of attracting federal government, state government to do more in our host communities. For example in Bayelsa State, almost all the communities are in darkness and it is the host community money that is supplying electricity to Abuja, Port Harcourt, Lagos and some other states.

    “But here the only electricity we have is sometimes from Shell and Agip through generators they installed in host communities. There is no community in Bayelsa state that is enjoying government light”.

    He added that Agip and Shell were also responsible for constructing concrete walkways in most communities at the riverine areas, which had been ignored by the government.

    Reading the general position of the group, the Secretary, IOGHC, Zuwa Konugha, said the main objective of the commission was different from the picture painted by the state government.

    Read Also; Dickson offers jobs to 307 doctorate, master’s degree holders

    “But it is a known fact that the prime targets are host communities surveillance contractors”, Konugha said adding that the host communities were not in support of the commission set up by the government.

    He said: “The government of Bayelsa state does not have the support of the host communities to carry out its intended plan to ridicule our members through its commission of inquiry.

    “The surveillance contractors are indigenes of oil and gas host communities. The panel of enquiries are targeted at contractors from the opposition parties who maintain the right of belonging to any political party of their choice.

    “The oil companies mostly the Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) and the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) have been very magnanimous in embarking on developmental projects and providing basic social amenities to the host communities.

    “For emphasis, it is only the international oil companies (IOCs) that have been providing electricity, concrete roads, functional primary school building and health center facilities, water projects, town halls, market stalls amongst others in the host communities.

    “We call on the restoration government to immediately take a comprehensive data of oil and gas production of various communities and work out modalities on how to engage its indigenes in empowerment activities, embarking on notable developmental projects and provision of basic amenities as a way of giving back to these host communities that are being milked day in day out”.

    But the Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Ebipatei Apiangolo denied all the allegations against the state government saying the governor’s action was justifiable.

    He said the main objective of the commission was to ensure international best practice and restore sanity to operations of oil companies in the state.

    Apaingolo said the state government would not allow the oil companies to continue to operate with impunity.