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Tag: Bayelsa

  • Bayelsa election tribunal begins sitting in Yenagoa

    The 2019 election petition tribunal began sitting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, to begin considerations of various petitions arising from the conduct of the 2019 national and state legislative elections.

    Already, the candidates of the Advanced People’s Democratic Alliance (APDA), Azibataman Johnbull, filed a petition challenging the declaration of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Mieteme Obodor, as the winner of the House of Assembly election in Ogbia Constituency 1.

    Johnbull earlier applied to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the certified true copies of results from the entire Ward 13, where he alleged that irregularities took place during the election.

    He alleged that army personnel attached to former President Goodluck Jonathan were involved in the malpractices.

    The tribunal also received from the APC candidate for Bayelsa Central senatorial district, Mr. Festus Dumeibi, against the PDP candidate, Douye Diri.

    Petitions were further received from the APC candidate for state House of Assembly candidates, Dr. Selekaye Victor-Ben (Constituency 4, Southern Ijaw), Leskey Ikengs (Southern Ijaw Constituency 4), Nathan Aggro (Yenagoa constituency 1) and Mrs. Caroline Jack (Yenagoa 3).

    The Speaker of the State House of Assembly and candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Southern Ijaw Federal Constituency also filed a petition against the electoral victory of Preye Oseke of the APC.

    Petition came from Mrs. Marie Ebikake of the PDP against the victory of Israel Sunny-Goli of the APC who was declared winner of the Nembe/Brass federal constituency.

    In a related development, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has issued certificates of return to 23 members-elect of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly.

    The State Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC, Pastor Monday Udoh-Tom, while presenting the certificates return urged them to be better representatives to their constituency.

  • FG releases N50m for library project in Bayelsa

    The National Librarian, Prof. Lanre Aina, on Thursday said the Federal Government released N50m for the construction of a National Library in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

    He said having a branch of the national library in Yenagoa would boost the efforts of the state government in reviving the sector to promote reading culture.

    Aina spoke at the two-day conference of the Forum of the National Librarian, Chairmen and Directors of State Library Boards in Nigeria, hosted by the Bayelsa State Government with the theme “Public library services for effective information delivery: the key for National development“.

    He described the Bayelsa State Library Board headed by Chief Seiyifa Koroye, as the best in the country because of its innovative drive followed by Kaduna and Bauchi states.

    The don acknowledged the efforts of Governor Seriake Dickson in boosting public reading culture by declaring a state of emergency in education and providing of basic public facilities and educationally-oriented programmes.

    He said: “There was a branch of National library in Bayelsa, when I visited last year. The place was beautiful and it had gotten to the foundation level. You should know how much it cost to build in Bayelsa state but it was abandoned.

    “So, I went back to the House of Representatives to tell them to do something and the Federal Government decided to pay N50million out of the N127million that was in debt. So, we told the contractors to start work immediately.

    “I believe within a year or two it will be completed and that’s why I am telling the House of Assembly to go and lobby on behalf of Bayelsa State to ensure they allocate money to it”.

    READ ALSO: Bayelsa mourns as literary icon, Okara, dies at 97

    Chairperson of the occasion, Prof. Ayebaemi Spiff, reeled out a list of public libraries across the state and called for more efforts by well-meaning individuals and corporate bodies to assist in evolving a knowledge-driven society.

    Spiff described the public library as a local gateway to information and knowledge that provides opportunities for lifelong learning, self -education and cultural development of individual and the society.

    Dickson, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the State Ministry of Education, Dr. Felix Odubo, while declaring the conference open, charged members to continue the drive in generating programmes and policies to assist younger ones in imbibing a robust reading culture.

    Other speakers were Executive Chairman of the Bayelsa State Library Board, Chief Seiyifa Koroye; Chief Executive Officer of a public library in Yenagoa and member-elect representing Yenagoa/Kolokuma Federal Constituency at the Federal House of Representatives, Prof. Steve Azaiki and Chairman House Committee on Education, Gentle Emelah.

    They decried the dwindling reading culture in modern society and sued for more proactive steps to give reorientation to the youths through deliberate policies and programmes.

    A Director in the Bayelsa State Library Board, Mr. Zumor Polokeduo, said the governor approved the construction of libraries in the eight local government areas if the state and host communities of tertiary institutions.

    Polokeduo also gave kudos to Dickson for the approval of the employment of 17 professional librarians and for buying books for the state library named after the late poet, Dr. Gabriel Okara.

  • INEC presents Certificate of Return to 23 elected Bayelsa lawmakers

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has presented Certificates of Return to the 23 newly-elected members of the Bayelsa House of Assembly.

    The certificates were presented by INEC Resident Electoral Commission (REC) in the state, Mr Monday Udoh, in Yenagoa, on Wednesday.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that those who received the certificates include 19 lawmakers elected under the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and four others elected under the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC).

    READ ALSO: INEC suspends election in Bayelsa constituency

    Speaking at the ceremony, Udoh said election into the remaining seat at the house -Brass 1 constituency, is yet to be concluded owing to a court order restraining INEC from conducting the election.
    “As a law abiding body, we have to comply and wait until it is dispensed with,” he said.

    Udoh, commended security agencies for their support as well as political parties and the media for keeping the people informed about activities of the commission.

    The state’s INEC Administrative Secretary, Mr Lebari Nduh, urged the elected lawmakers to provide dividends of democracy to the electorate.

  • Crisis rocks Ijaw Youths Council in Bayelsa

    Crisis has hit the Central Zone of the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) following moves by some stakeholders to replace the incumbent Chairman, Mr. Tare Porri.

    It was gathered that the plot to replace Porri thickened after he was elected as a lawmaker for Ekeremor Constituency 1 in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly in the last general elections.

    The Vice-Chairman of the council, Amiebi Turner, was said to be nursing the ambition and scheming to take over from Porri, who had insisted that he was not under any constitutional obligation to resign his appointment.

    It was learnt that the Chairman of the Elders’ Advisory Council, Mike Wenibowei, was working with Turner to undermine the interest of Porri.

    But Porri on Tuesday announced the dissolution of the advisory council and removed Wenibowei from his position saying the elder stepped beyond his bounds.

    Porri said the position of central zone chairmanship of IYC was zoned to the western part of the state adding that if he decided to resign voluntarily someone from the west would take over from him and complete his tenure.

    Read Also: Bayelsa mourns as literary icon, Okara, dies at 97

    He insisted that Turner, who hails from Ogbia, the eastern part of the state, was not qualified to replace him in the spirits of the zoning arrangement.

    He expressed disappointment at Wenibowei for trying to sow a seed of discord in the council saying that his tenure would elapse in 2020

    He said: “For the first time in Ijaw Nation, a serving high ranking officer is now a member-elect in the legislative arm. The least I expected was a congratulatory message from my people, most especially my executives, stakeholders and elders, because this is not just a victory for me, but a victory for Ijaw Nation.

    “I am rather shocked that while l am still alive, yet to be inaugurated and barely few weeks after my emergence, those who had proclaimed so much love for the struggle have turned themselves overnight into a tool of disintegration.

    “They are trying to create problems where there are none, calling for my resignation even when no law or conventional practice says so, this is truly undeserving considering how far we have come”.

    Porri called for unity in the council and said the leadership resolved to dissolve the Wenibowei-led advisory council, on the grounds of insubordination and disrespect for constituted authority.

    Citing some precedents, he said: “Those clamouring to be acting chairman should wait for the turn of their senatorial district. I contested as chairman with people from my district, there can’t be acting chairman while l am still chairman.

    “In the immediate past leadership, Bobo was Chairman of central zone at the same time Chairman Bayelsa Physical and Development Planning Committee, a government parastatal. He manned the two offices and performed his best

    “In Mike Wenibowei tenure, after the untimely demise of his deputy, the leaders from that zone sat down amongst themselves and nominated Ablacky, who became the deputy and started acting from that time

    “In the time of Elder Jon Jon, his replacement came from his zone and no other place after due consultation. Even if there is a vacancy, the acting chairman would come from my Senatorial district.”

  • Firm denies allegations of terrorism in Bayelsa

    A surveillance security firm working for oil multinational in Bayelsa State, Darlon Security and Guards Ltd, has denied allegations by the state Governor, Seriake Dickson, that it was engaging in acts of terrorism.

    Dickson while speaking at a pro-environmental campaign tagged, Rise for Bayelsa, accused the firm and its Chairman, Mr. David Lyon, of sponsoring violence and running a parallel government in the state.

    But the firm in a statement in Yenagoa signed by its Head of Operations, Mr. Wilson Clifford, denied the state government’s allegations against Lyon.

    “The allegations show the height of desperation on the state government’s frantic bid to pull down Mr. Lyon, whose only crime is being a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC”, Clifford said in the statement.

    The firm boasted that it had contributed immensely in reducing crime by employing over 5000 youths in the state.

    Clifford said: “For the records, we’d like to emphatically state that, Darlon Security and Guards Ltd is a law abiding organization, that operates strictly within the confines of its contractual terms, which is the protection of oil pipelines in parts of the state.

    “The diligence, with which we execute our operations in line with our terms of reference, has seen the earnings of the state improve tremendously, as well as eliminate criminal activities from our creeks.

    “It is an established fact that the entire Swamp Area, with notoriety for crude oil theft, illegal refineries and pipeline vandalism in the past, is now a haven of peace, thanks to the operations of Darlon Security and Guards Ltd. We, therefore, take exception to Governor Dickson’s phantom allegations against us.

    “If the about 5000 persons employed by Darlon Security and Guards Ltd, is what Governor Dickson considers as running a parallel government, then we plead guilty to providing livelihood for thousands of Bayelsans.

    “We’d like to state unequivocally, that our chairman, Hon. David Lyon is a peace loving man, who has never engaged in any act of terrorism, and would never engage in such an act.

    “Darlon Security and Guards Ltd, is not new to these kind of spurious politically motivated allegations, we have been vindicated in the past, and shall continue to be vindicated, as these allegations are simply products of Dickson’s imaginations.

    “We strongly advise Governor Dickson to free himself from his petty and vindictive brand of Politics, being a so called “true Ijaw man” as he is being referred to by his close friends.

    “Darlon Security and Guards Ltd will continue to work within the ambit of the laws of the land as always. We pledge to continually remain law abiding in our dearly beloved state and nation, and will strive continuously, to protect our before-now ravaged environment, and improve on the livelihood of our people.“

  • Lokpobiri to Dickson: I won’t come to your commission of inquiry

    Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri on Sunday said he would not appear before the Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up by Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, to investigate electoral violence in the state.

    The minister described the commission as a mere smokescreen to divert the attention of the people of the state from alleged Dickson’s bad governance in the past seven years.

    Lokpobiri condemned what he described as the governor’s incessant setting up of commissions against the letters and the spirit of the Nigerian Constitution.

    The Justice Inikade Eradiri-led commission invited Lokpobiri and other leaders and chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to appear before it and clear themselves of alleged involvement in violent conducts during the general elections.

    But Lokpobiri in a statement signed by his Special Adviser, Media, Mr. George Oji, said the invitation was Dickson’s usual antics to cow opposition in the state.

    The minister said the concern of the impoverished people of Bayelsa was alleged misappropriation of the state’s resources of the state by Dickson and not the diversionary issue of the commission of inquiry.

    Lokpobiri urged Dickson to forget the commission and face the task of explaining to Bayelsans how he expended the huge financial accruals to the state, which he said had risen to a whooping N1.4trn.

    He said: “As we speak, the money that has accrued to the state has increased to N1.4trn and there is nothing to show for it. Let Dickson give proper account of this. Let Dickson forget about the so-called commission of inquiry and give proper account of how this money has been spent.

    “This is also a wake up call to Bayelsans that this is an attempt by Dickson to divert attention from the real issues of corruption and deliberate impoverishment of our people.

    “Bayelsans should begin to interrogate Dickson concerning the volume of money that has come to the state, including the bailout funds, the loans, as well as the domestic and foreign loans. The people should try to match it with the projects and what is on the ground. That is what Bayelsans want to know.”

    Lokpobiri insisted that governance was a more serious business than talking about frivolous issues and making false claims that had little or nothing to do with accountability.

    He challenged Dickson to public debate to explain his stewardship in office saying the commission was unnecessary since according to him there was no single political violence involving the APC in Bayelsa during the last elections in the state.

    He claimed that the only incidence of violence he could remember was the killing of an APC member, at Tungboabiri, Sagbama, which was perpetrated by PDP thugs before the elections and the recovery of of arms, including AK47 from PDP thugs.

    Lokpobiri accused Dickson of using the Nigerian Army Engineering Regiment in Toro-Orua, the governor’s home town, and the state security outfit, Door-Akpor set up to divert election materials and prevent APC agents from accessing the collation center in Sagbama, where the rigging of the elections were perpetrated.

  • INEC puts supplementary election on hold in Bayelsa constituency

    The Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) has put on hold, the supplementary elections in Brass Constituency 1 following a court order to include omitted units in the area.

    The Federal High Court in Yenagoa had on Friday, ordered the Electoral Commission to include omitted polling units in the supplementary elections in the constituency.

    In a statement on Saturday, Mr Monday Udoh, the Bayelsa REC, announced that out of the three constituencies earlier scheduled for the polls, election was now holding in two, including Southern-Ijaw IV and Ogbia 11.

    “INEC wishes to inform the good people of Bayelsa that the supplementary polls to conclude results in three constituencies namely: Brass 1, Ogbia 11, and Souther-Ijaw IV, is holding on March 23 with the exception of Brass 1.

    “The conduct of supplementary in Brass 1, ward 6 polling units 11-16 has been put on hold by an interlocutory order of the Federal High Court in Yenagoa in suit No: FHC/YNG/CS/41/2019 and dated march 22.

    “The supplementary elections in the other two constituencies are holding as scheduled. We wish to inform that necessary arrangements are already in place for a hitch free exercise in those two constituencies.

    “As law abiding agency, the commission will inform the stakeholders as soon as the court order is dispensed with on Brass constituency 1,” the REC explained. (NAN)

  • Appeal Court affirms Lulu-Briggs as Accord gov candidate in Rivers

    The Court of Appeal sitting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, has granted the application for stay of execution on the judgment of Justice Obili of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt which ruled recently that Precious Baridoo and not Dumo Lulu-Briggs was the Rivers State governorship candidate of Accord.

    A statement by the Director of Communications, Dumo Lulu-Briggs Campaign Organisation, Sotonye Ijuye-Dagogo, said Justice A. Lamido of the Court of Appeal, Yenagoa, delivered his ruling on the matter on Friday.

    The Lulu-Briggs Campaign Organisation said in the statement that the Appeal Court ruling was in respect of an application brought before it by Wilcox Abereton (SAN), the lead counsel to Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs.

    It said the Presiding judge granted the application for stay of execution and further granted an injunction restraining Precious Baridoo from parading himself as the Rivers Accord governorship candidate.

    “By this ruling, Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs remains the INEC recognized Rivers State governorship candidate of Accord in Rivers State and the person whose name was legally submitted to INEC by the National Working Committee of Accord,” the statement said.

    The Accord in Rivers state has been in crisis over who is the genuine candidate of the party, resulting in the former Chairman of the party in the state, Precious Barido, approaching a Federal High Court in Portharcourt to challenge the candidature of Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs.

    The Federal High Court ruled in favour of Mr. Barido, few days to the Rivers governorship election, forcing Dumo Lulu-Briggs and the Rivers chapter of Accord party filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal sitting in Yenagoa.

    While the appeal lasted in the Appeal Court, the National leadership of Accord said that Dumo Lulu-Briggs remains the governorship candidate of the party in Rivers state.

    He added the party submitted only the credentials of Dumo Lulu-Briggs as the candidate of the party.

    According to the national chairman of Accord, Muhammad Lawal Nalado, Precious Barido, is an impostor, pointing out that at no time before, during and after his tenure as the state chairman of Accord in Rivers, did he notify the national leadership of Accord of his interest in the Rivers governorship polls.

    He said Barido never bought any form from Accord to contest the governorship election in Rivers and was never at any time the candidate of the party in Rivers governorship elections.

  • Outrage trails killing of corps members in Bayelsa

    Tempers have continued to rise in Bayelsa State following the shooting and killing of serving members of the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) by suspected armed cultists.

    The cultists, in what has become a regular occurrence in Yenagoa, the state capital, stormed the corps members’ residence along the School Road in Swali and shot three of them.

    While two of the victims were confirmed dead at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Yenagoa, the third one was lying critically injured and receiving treatment at the hospital.

    The attacked corps members were identified as 30-year-old Popoola Oluwatobi Olamide, a graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) and an indigene of Oyo State; George Onokpoma and Gbenga Dada.

    Popoola was shot dead on the spot; Onokpoma died at the FMC while Gbenga was receiving treatment for gunshot wounds at the medical centre.

    Friday, the Bayelsa State Government through the office of the Commissioner for Youth Development, Mr. Udengs Eradiri and the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), Central Zone, condemned the gruesome murder of the corps members.

    Eradiri and the IYC Chairman, Tare Porri, led a high-powered delegation of Governor Seriake Dickson’s aides on youths to pay a condolence visit to the state Coordinator, NYSC, Bolade Loto in Yenagoa.

    The youth commissioner said the governor was devastated by the report of the killings and mandated them to visit the IYC management in the state.

    Addressing Loto, he said: “As a state we heard what happened. Our principal the governor was very touched and concerned about this ugly incident and we must express our condolence as a state government to NYSC.

    “Young people, who came to serve their nation, don’t deserve to die in the process. For us, we are sorry that such will happen in our environment. It should not happen to the NYSC not to youths who are serving their fatherland.

    “But the government is doing everything possible to ensure that the culprits are brought to book. It is unfortunate that the society has gone this bad. We condemn what happened and we are doing our best to engage young people.

    “There is no reason why a young person will take another person’s life. Youth corps members are priceless assets to every nation. Our condolences go to their families and we will work very hard to ensure it doesn’t happen again”.

    Porri said it was unfortunate that such dastardly acts were happening in Yenagoa despite the presence of many security outfits.

    He accused the security agencies of conspiracy and urged them to step up their game and guarantee security in the state.

    He said: “It was terrible and shocking incident that happened to us as Ijaw people. We are not known for things like this. It is unfortunate that young people who were serving our fatherland could be killed in such manner.

    “But my concern is that this sincerely calls for sober reflection. We have many security outfits in the state. We have the Nigerian Army 16th Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Central Naval Command of the Nigerian Navy, Mobility Command of the Airforce, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Joint Task Force, Operation Delta Safe (ODS), the police, the DSS and other security outfits and this kind of incident is happening.

    “The Bayelsa State government is doing its best but these other security agencies should do their best. I don’t know what is happening whether it is conspiracy. I call on the security outfits to step up their game. It is life that we are talking about. We are worried and concerned”.

    Loto described the incident as very heart-breaking, pathetic and very shameful and charged the police thoroughly investigate the killing and bring the perpetrators to justice.

    She said the NYSC had already contacted the families of the deceased persons adding that Akpos Honest, the brother of one of the deceased, George Onokpoma, had been crying uncontrollably.

    Loto said the motive behind the killing was still unknown since the murderers left the scene of the incident without stealing any valuable.

    Narrating how the incident happened, she said: “When I was notified of this incident at the middle of the night on Wednesday, I immediately sent messages to the DG of NYSC, the Deputy Governor and the SSG.

    “They all replied me to express their shock for this dastardly act. Up till now I am still in shock. I keep asking myself, why? What could have happened because report has it that they took nothing from them? Since then, we have been in constant touch with the DG of NYSC and with the state government.

    “That very morning, I visited the surviving corps member in the hospital. I ensured the hospital quickly and promptly gave the corps member the needed attention. The two families that lost their children had been contacted. They are still in shock wondering what their children could have done. They are still weeping.

    “One of them has been very uncontrollably. Mr. Akpos kept asking what his brother did to warrant such killing. We visited the scene of the accident, saw blood stains all over the room. Akpos, who is the brother of George, one of the deceased, visited the commissioner of police who assured him of thorough investigation.

    “He said the only thing the Bayelsa state could do is to investigate this incident and bring the suspects to justice. He said his brother was known to be a gentleman. He lamented that the brother came back from church the night he was killed. He was God fearing”.

    Also the Sagbama branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) condemned the brutal murder.

    A statement by its Chairman, Dise Sheila Ogbise, said the unwarranted murder of two was latest in a spate of incessant violence, killings and criminal activities in the state.

    She said: “The insecurity in Bayelsa is alarming and a concern to peace and development in the state.”

  • Breaking:Court compels INEC to include Bayelsa units in supplementary poll

    The Federal High Court sitting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to include omitted units in supplementary election scheduled on Saturday for Brass Constituency 1.

    The court presided over by Justice E. Inyang made the order in a motion ex parte filed by Preye Brodrick and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against INEC.

    The court ruled that INEC should conduct supplementary elections in polling units 11-16; units 1-10 and 17 to 21 of Ward 6 in Brass Constituency 1 of the state on March 23 or any other day determined by the defendant (INEC).

    On grounds for the application, the plaintiff had told the court that elections did not hold in the affected units in line with the guidelines of INEC.

    Read Also: Updated: Tribunal sacks Osun Governor, declares Adeleke winner

    The plaintiff said: “Elections did not hold in units 1-10 and units 17-21 of Ward 6 of Brass Constituency 1 in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly elections which held on March 9, 2019.

    “By the regulations and guidelines for the conduct of the elections in 2019, the elections are deemed to be postponed and supplementary elections ought to be conducted in the said units. It is in the interest of justice to grant the prayers sought”.

    The court upheld all the grounds while making the order.