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Tag: Doifie Buokoribo

  • APC condemns Dickson’s attempts to discredit poll

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State has condemned efforts of the state Governor, Seriake Dickson, to discredit results of elections in some wards in Southern Ijaw and Nembe local government areas of the state.

    The party dismissed as groundless Dickson’s statement against votes garnered in the state by President Muhammadu Buhari and APC candidates.

    The party in a statement signed by its Publicity Secrtary, Doifie Buokoribo, also rejected an attempt by Dickson to equate himself with Bayelsa by claiming the state condemned votes polled by APC.

    Buokoribo stressed that Dickson was not Bayelsa, and that the state was neither Dickson nor a political party.

    He advised Dickson to explore the democratic option of seeking redress in the courts if he had any grievances about the poll results, instead of plunging into the realm of reckless and enflaming statements.

    Buokoribo said: “The APC in Bayelsa State considers the government statement as baseless, ill-advised, and reckless. Dickson is not Bayelsa State.  Bayelsa State is not Dickson. Bayelsa State is not a party to the general elections. Bayelsa State Government must not be confused with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

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    As a narrow-minded and petty politician, Dickson seems not to realise that he is governor of all, not just PDP. Or are we to assume that APC members in Bayelsa State are from Sudan?

    “The 23 February 2019 elections have taken place, the results collated and winners have emerged. No amount of threat, psychological warfare or fake news can change the results as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    “The only option open to any aggrieved party is a democratic court of law. As a lawyer, or even governor who has access to a myriad of lawyers, Governor Dickson should know this basic fact

    “Working in concert with Governor Dickson is the amorphous Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) in Bayelsa State. Created by the PDP, CUPP is demanding fresh elections in Southern Ijaw and Nembe Local Government Councils won by the APC. Our advice to CUPP: go to court

    “The peace-loving, democracy-minded people of Bayelsa State cannot be made pawns in a crude political game by rogue buccaneers seeking power at all costs”.

     

  • 2019: PDP accuses APC of unholy alliance with police

    ….PDP inciting public against police – APC

     

    The Bayelsa State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of unholy alliance with the police ahead of the 2019 general elections.

    The state Chairman of PDP, Cleopas Moses, in a statement alleged that the leaders of the APC in the state turned the office of the Police Commissioner, Joseph Mukan, to their operational political base.

    But the APC in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Doifie Buokoribo, said the PDP was irresponsibly inciting the public against the police.

    Cleopas, described the office of the police chief as critical to security maintenance and the preservation of state stability, but lamented it had been tainted with political bias in Bayelsa.

    The PDP Chairman claimed that the conversion of the office of the Commissioner of Police to the security wing of the APC was the first manifestation of the political mission of the Joseph Mukan in Bayelsa.

    He said the opposition APC in its desperation for political control in the state started colluding with the police chief to weaken the security apparatus in the state for selfish political purposes.

    Cleopas asserted that the unholy alliance between the commissioner and the APC culminated in an upsurge of cultism in the state.

    He said that the action of the police boss was not unexpected as he was sent to the state to prosecute a dirty political assignment which he stressed would be resisted by the Bayelsa people.

    While acknowledging that the Inspector-General of Police has the right to deploy his men, Cleopas queried why Mukan was posted to head Bayelsa State Police Command for a record three times, if there was no ulterior motive.

    The PDP Chairman said that a police commissioner, whose posting was allegedly influenced by the APC and who identifies with the publicity apparatus of the party’ could not be trusted with the security of Bayelsa.

    He said: “We made it clear to Nigerians a few days ago that this particular police commissioner was posted to Bayelsa to intimidate PDP supporters to join APC, destabilize the security and stability of the state for political purposes ahead of the 2019 elections.

    “This unholy alliance, he stressed is fueling the upsurge of activities of cultists who are mainly APC members.

    “Since he was posted to Bayelsa State, his office has become an annex of the APC headquarters as members of the party have relocated to the command to plan how to destabilize the state by weakening its security.

    “Nigerians should Note that this particular CP has been transferred to Bayelsa State for the third time, and we as a party wonder why this particular CP out of the many in this country is the preferred commissioner for Bayelsa?

    “The last time he came he was accommodated by APC leaders in Abuja and Yenagoa, Former Governor Timipre Sylva and the Minister of State for Agriculture, Hen. Lokpobiri.”

    But the APC, however, condemned the PDP for a serial show of irrationality and fear since the recent posting of a new commissioner of Police to the state.

    Buokoribo said that PDP took its phobia to an alarming extent of now creating frightening scenarios and plotting “low level fiction” all in an attempt to incite the populace against the police.

    He described as indecent and reprehensible that a party in control of government and power in the state could be so frightened by a lawful routine security posting, with no evidence of infraction that it would begin to provoke unlawful behaviour among the population.

    He recalled that not long ago, under the Governor Seriake Dickson government, his personal friend and member of his party, PDP, was posted to the state as Commissioner of Police.

    The APC spokesman said despite apparent injustices, APC never resorted to PDP’s current attempt to provoke public anger against the police and cause anarchy.

    He accused the PDP of having something untoward up its sleeves and fearing that the new police commissioner would not condone such.

    He said: “As usual, the PDP has not provided any evidence to support this low level fiction. We consider it indecent, reprehensible and ungodly for a political party that is in control of government and power at the state to serially incite the populace against the police.

    “We are in a democracy, and the PDP must know that it has to respect all the institutions of law and order. The PDP cannot decide for the Inspector General of Police whom he should appoint as Police Commissioner in the state.

    “Except there is something they are not telling us, the PDP is not in a position to say it is only someone they can do business with that must be Police Commissioner in the state.

    “The PDP is taking its objection to the posting of the new Bayelsa State Police Commissioner, Joseph Mukan, beyond the red lines. It has become a joke taken too far.

    “The Bayelsa APC is a party of peace-loving people committed to democracy and the progress of Bayelsa State. Like President Muhammadu Buhari, we would like to take the state to the next level. We have nothing to gain in the event of a breakdown of law and order in the state.

    “We cannot help but wonder with alarm what unlawful acts the PDP plans to engage in this time, which they fear the new Police Commissioner, unlike their friend and party man, would not condone. To us, the new police commissioner is doing very well in the state.

    “Indeed, we commend him for reaching out to all the critical segments of society, especially the youth, in his attempt to rid the state of crime and criminality.

    “Similarly, we salute Police Commissioner Mukan for apprehending the suspected killers of Miss Seifa Fred. Fred, a first year student of Niger Delta University, was killed recently in Yenagoa. We call on the people of Bayelsa State to support and cooperate with Police Commissioner Mukan”.

  • Deployment of Commissioner of Police: APC chides PDP

    The All Progressives Congress ( APC ) in Bayelsa has condemned the state chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for kicking against the deployment of a new Commissioner of Police in the state.

    In a statement on Wednesday in Yenagoa, the party said that PDP had by opposing the deployment engaged in inciting the people against the police, and hence calling for anarchy.

    The statement, signed by Publicity Secretary of APC in the state, Mr Doifie Buokoribo, was in response to a statement by PDP alleging that the police commissioner’s office had become APC’s “operational political base”.

    The APC said that it considered it indecent and reprehensible that a party in control of government in the state could be frightened by a lawful routine security posting.

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    It said that there was no evidence of infraction to warrant unlawful behaviour among the population.

    The party recalled that not long ago, under the Gov. Seriake Dickson’s administration, “his friend and member of his party, PDP, was posted to the state as commissioner of police.

    “And, in spite of apparent injustices, APC never resorted to PDP’s current attempt to provoke public anger against the police and cause anarchy.”

    It accused the PDP of having something up its sleeves and fearing that the new police boss in the state would not condone such.

    “The PDP is taking its objection to the posting of the new Police Commissioner in Bayelsa, Mr Joseph Mukan, beyond the red lines. It has become a joke taken too far,” APC stated.

  • N80bn Bayelsa airport project outrageous – Bayelsa APC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa says the ‘astronomical’ rise in cost of the Bayelsa Cargo Airport from N40 to N80 billion is worrisome and a waste of public funds.

    The APC said that the reaction of Bayelsa Government to its allegation on the project was a failed attempt to divert attention from obvious lack of fiscal discipline and prudence by the state government.

    The party said that “serious issues of accountability, due process and democratic governance” raised in its Nov. 15 statement regarding the airport project was never addressed.

    Mr Doifie Buokoribo, the APC Publicity Secretary in Bayelsa, said in a statement in Yenagoa on Monday that the state government had carefully avoided the critical concerns raised by the party.

    The party said that by the diversionary response, the Dickson government had only confirmed the allegation, stressing that “Governor Dickson is guilty as charged.”

    The APC had criticized the Bayelsa Government for borrowing from the money market at the current high interest rate and described it as a ploy to siphon public funds.

    It alleged that the high interest of N62 billion to be paid on the N80 billion loan would stifle the state of funds through the monthly repayment obligations in the next eight years.

    It said that the project lacked vital inter-modal network for easy accessibility.

    The APC said that the N80 billion project was inflated and described it as “clearly the most expensive airport project in Nigeria.”

    Buokoribo said that Bayelsa Government’s response was silent on the economic viability of funding such a capital intensive project from the money market at huge interest rates.

    “The Bayelsa State Government’s reaction to our statement of Nov. 15, 2018, on the Bayelsa Airport scam did not address any of the issues we raised. This is unfortunate, but understandable.

    “Unfortunate because the government is attempting to divert the attention of the Bayelsa populace from the serious issues of accountability, due process and democratic governance.

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    “These concerns underscore our party’s intervention. We said the airport project is a fraud. We said at more than N80 billion, it is grossly inflated.

    “We said the airport project is a deliberate cover by Gov. Seriake Dickson to launder state’s funds. We have no reason whatsoever to change our well thought-out position.

    “Rather than address the concerns we raised, Gov. Dickson, through his Information Commissioner, chose to abuse our party and its leaders.

    “The APC is a party of serious-minded people. We are not in competition with anyone as to who will emerge best in exchange of insults and abuse. We are focused on a better life for all the people of Bayelsa State,” he said.

    Bayelsa Commissioner for Information, Mr Daniel Iworiso-Markson, had during an inspection tour of the airport in August, put the cost at N90 billon.

    In his reaction, Iworiso-Markson said the past administration in the state failed to give the people the desperately needed international airport between 2007 and 2011.

    Iworiso-Markson said that the Gov. Timipriye Syla-led administration (now in APC) failed to build an airport in spite of the huge resources at the disposal of his administration.

    According to him, the past administration used what should have been a laudable idea of an airport project to milk the state and siphoned billions of naira into private pockets.

    The commissioner challenged the APC to tell Bayelsa people and Nigerians what the former governor did with N300 billion agriculture loan the state took from the World Bank.

    According to him, the past administration also frittered away the N3 billion Millennium Development Goal (MDG) funds made available to the state and foisted a bond obligation of N125 billion on the state.

    NAN

  • Bayelsa APC stockpiling arms to win elections, says PDP

    Allegation spurious to divert attention – APC

     

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Bayelsa State chapter, at the weekend, accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of stockpiling arms in the state as part of its preparations for the 2019 general election.

    The state Chairman of the PDP, Chief Moses Cleopas, alleged in a statement that the leaders of the APC in Bayelsa, Chief Timipre Sylva and the Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, were assembling weapons to cause violence during the elections.

    But the APC in a separate statement signed by its state Publicity Secretary, Doifie Buokoribo, described the allegation as spurious and an attempt by the PDP to divert people’s attention from its plot to use violence in the election.

    Cleopas said that the PDP leadership raise the alarm to draw the attention of security agencies to the  plot of the APC leaders, whose activities he said led to the death of several innocent people in the last election in 2015.

    He called on security agencies to investigate the sinister activities of the APC members to prevent a repeat of the mayhem and bloodletting that characterized the 2015 election.

    He said that the PDP was not surprised by the strategy of violence adopted by the APC leaders because they promised President Muhammadu Buhari that they would deliver Bayelsa to him even when they lacked the support base and capacity to do so.

    Cleopas said that the PDP remained the party of Bayelsans and was ready to participate in a free, fair and credible election.

    He said: “It has come to the attention of the PDP that the leaders of the APC, Chief Timipre Sylva and the Minister of State for Agriculture, Mr. Heineken Lokpobiri, are leading other members of the party to stockpile arms to cause mayhem in our state.

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    “We are not surprised that the APC is contemplating this strategy of violence after having boasted to their leader, President  Buhari, that they would deliver Bayelsa when they are unpopular and have no support base to achieve that.

    “Bayelsans are already aware of the violent reputation of these so called leaders as clearly shown by the orgy of violence they unleashed on innocent citizens in the last election.

    “That is why we are sounding this warning early enough so that the security agencies can quickly wade into this matter and investigate this arms build-up, with a view to arresting those who are behind the planned mayhem.

    “The PDP is prepared for free, fair and credible election devoid of violence, bloodshed and the death of any Bayelsan. The APC should do the same as the ruling party.

    “We want the security agencies to investigate it, we don’t want a repeat of the violence of 2015.”

    Cleopas said that the PDP would not keep silent about the looming violence in the state following arms buildup.

    He said that the leadership of the security agencies had a responsibility to treat the issue with the deserving seriousness to avoid loss of lives.

    “The PDP will not keep quiet over this impending anarchy being planned by the APC for the general elections. We call on the authorities to take this critical issue seriously as it is linked to the Lives of innocent people”, he said.

    In a swift reaction, APC described the alarm as an attempt to prevent people from discovering the truth about another orgy of violence being planned by the PDP.

    Buokoribo said the ruling PDP in the state was planning a reenactment of the electoral violence its members unleashed on APC supporters in 2015 with the personal participation of Governor Seriake Dickson.

    The statement said: “We would have ignored the infantile allegation deployed in the characteristically unintelligible style of PDP in the state under Governor Seriake Dickson.

    “But we are constrained to respond just to warn our people, the good people of Bayelsa, to be wary of Dickson and his gang at a time like this. Their strategy has not changed – flying spurious allegations against the APC to try to divert attention from their demonic plots. What is uncertain is the manner of evil they want to unleash on the people this time.

    “There is an umpteen frantic attempt by the Dickson syndicate to keep the change-inclined masses of Bayelsa bound under a colourless administration bereft of imagination.

    “And the only way they can achieve that is by visiting violence on the electorate. The latest alarm, in their usual manner, is yet another dress rehearsal for the impending violence.

    “The whole world saw it in 2015, when Dickson personally led thugs to the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Yenagoa and other places around the state to supervise the intimidation of electoral officers and APC agents as well as direct the manhandling of innocent citizens.

    “It would be recalled that allegations quite similarly worded as the latest by PDP preceded that incident that resulted in the loss of lives. APC members were the major victims of that madness by PDP in 2015.

    “Having started with blood, Dickson wants to end with blood, hence the latest practice before the untoward event. His pitiful attempt at a cover-up of his crimes only makes him more of a laughingstock.

    “Bayelsans are not as foolish as Dickson thinks they are. They have since realised the devilish motives beneath his usual alarms, and they are prepared to confront him and his ungodly gang of lawless elements head-on.

    “APC is a peaceful party of peaceful and development-oriented people. We shall remain so, despite being victims of PDP violence, and will remain committed to seeking justice only through lawful means.

    “We call on the security agencies to follow the obvious lead by Dickson and his people in order to nip in the bud whatever nefarious plans they may have up their sleeve”.

  • Sylva condemns violence in Bayelsa youth election

    Sylva condemns violence in Bayelsa youth election

    Bayelsa State Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Governor Timipre Sylva, yesterday, condemned the violence that marred the youth election in his Okpoma community, Brass Local Government Area, Bayelsa State.

    In a statement by his Media Adviser, Doifie Buokoribo, the former governor described the incident as unfortunate and unwarranted.

    Buokoribo said: “Inn the unfortunate incident that occurred on Sunday, 04 February 2018, over the election of youth executives in the kingdom, lawless elements procured by an interested party shot and maimed some youths.

    “As at press time, one youth leader who sustained serious injuries had died. Sylva deplores the violence, describing it as unwarranted, unfortunate and strange to the hitherto peaceful community.

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    “He condoles with the family of the dead and prays for the quick recovery of the injured. He wonders at the level of desperation that would make some youths to spill blood, the blood of their fellow youths, in order to control the kingdom’s youth body.

    “Sylva calls on the leadership of the community to work with the security agencies to ensure that all those involved in this violence are brought to book without delay.

    “The former governor reiterates the need for peace in the community, tasking all stakeholders to do everything within their powers to restore lasting order”.