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Tag: Seriake Dickson

  • 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.“

  • Poll: Seriake Dickson , APC clash in Bayelsa

    Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have clashed over the conduct of the House of Assembly elections in the state.

    Dickson accused the Military and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials of colluding with  former Governor Timipre Sylva to churn out fake results in the state House of Assembly election.

    Dickson made the accusation while speaking with journalists shortly after casting his vote in his home town, Toru Orua, Sagbama Local Government Area.

    A statement by his Special Adviser on Media Relations, Fidelis Soriwei, quoted the governor as saying that federal agencies deployed to the state were planning to foist an unpopular political, party, the APC, on the state.

    According to the governor, reports at his disposal indicated that several PDP members were prevented from voting in various communities including, Peremabiri, Okpoama and  Bassambiri.

    The governor stressed that the APC was resorting to brigandage because it lacked the support base to win election in Bayelsa.

    The governor, who described the development as barbaric , criminal and undemocratic, flayed the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state for his failure to enforce the electoral guidelines.

    He said that it was a sad commentary on the nation’s security apparatus that it had failed to carry out its constitutional responsibility to provide the conducive environment for the citizens to cast their votes to elect their representatives and leaders.

    The governor said that reports at his disposal indicated that soldiers carted away electoral materials in Epebu, Olodi and Ayakoro in Ogbia Local Government Area of the state.

    Read Also: Dickson accuses military of terrorism

    He called on the people to remain calm in the alleged  face of unwarranted intimidation and harassment by soldiers, he assured that his administration would take appropriate measures to seek redress.

    Dickson further expressed regret over the militarization of the Niger Delta states and urged all well meaning  Nigerians to stand up in defence of democracy.

    He said: :”We have major challenges in this state arising from militarization and clear failure on the part of the agencies to do their jobs as it should be.

    ‘In Peremabiri in Southern Ijaw, several peopple, almost a thousand people couldn’t vote as they are now IDPs hiding in Yenagoa and other places.

    “Criminals supported by the Nigerian military services have held the community hostage. Some security personnel who managed to get to Peremabiri were turned back and you ask me whether we have a nation within a nation”.

    But the APC accused the governor of using thugs and other criminal elements to undermine  the elections.

    APC State Publicity Secretary, Mr. Doifie Buokoribo, said in a statement that armed thugs loyal to the governor and his party were on the loose in a number of communities throughout the polls, rigging for the PDP and intimidating APC members.

    The statement said: “Just on Thursday, we alerted the Bayelsa public to an evil plot by Governor Seriake Dickson to unleash mayhem during Saturday’s governorship and House of Assembly elections on purpose to intimidate the opposition and impose his candidates in various constituencies of the state.

    “We also warned about his signature tactic of trying to cover up his nefarious acts with smear campaign and fake news against our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    “Dickson, as usual, did not disappoint.

    “On Saturday, thugs sponsored by Dickson and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state went on the rampage in several constituencies of the state, carting away electoral materials, thumb-printing for the PDP, and deploying sundry acts of intimidation against APC members and others opposed the governor and his party.

    “A few of the instances would suffice.

    PDP leaders, accompanied by armed thugs hijacked all the electoral materials for Saturday’s election in Wards 16 and 17 of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area. It took the intervention of the armed and security forces for the materials to be recovered, and some arrests were made.

    “In Odioma, Brass Local Government Area, the PDP candidate, led thugs to cart away all the electoral materials. Our members were chased out of the community and PDP had a field day with the thumb printing of ballot papers.

    “In Ogbolomabiri-Nembe, the hometown of the deputy governor, PDP ,lused thugs to threaten and chase APC agents out of the community.

    “In Sagbama, where Dickson comes from, our members were in hiding for the most part of Saturday for fear of being harmed by the governor and his armed thugs.

    “Quite in his usual style, Dickson went to town on Saturday on a campaign of falsehood, alleging malpractices by our party and pretending to be the victim. While voting was still going on is several areas, he was out and about with his usual fake news to try to divert attention from his immoral ways.

    “APC wishes to restate that elections are not fought on the basis of smear campaign or intimidation, but on the strength of support freely given by the people.

    ‘This is our strength, it is what APC boasts. Dickson is, certainly, in terrible deficit of such support, and he is doing everything to make up for his lack of quality followership. But he will surely be disappointed”.

  • Dickson: Security agencies, INEC colluding with APC to produce fake results

    Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has accused the Military and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials of colluding with a former governor of the state to churn out fake results in the state House of Assembly election.

     Dickson made the accusation while speaking with journalists shortly after casting his vote in his home town, Toru Orua, Sagbama Local Government Area.

    A statement by his Special Adviser on Media Relations, Fidelis Soriwei, quoted the governor as saying that federal agencies deployed to the state were planning to foist an unpopular political, party, the APC, on the state.

    According to the governor, reports at his disposal indicated that several PDP members were prevented from voting in various communities including, Peremabiri, Okpoama and  Bassambiri.

    The governor stressed that the APC was resorting to brigandage because it lacked the support base to win election in Bayelsa.

    The governor, who described the development as barbaric, criminal and undemocratic, flayed the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state for his failure to enforce the electoral guidelines.

    He said that it was a sad commentary on the nation’s security apparatus that it had failed to carry out its constitutional responsibility to provide the conducive environment for the citizens to cast their votes to elect their representatives and leaders.

    The governor said that reports at his disposal indicated that soldiers carted away electoral materials in Epebu, Olodi and Ayakoro in Ogbia Local Government Area of the state.

    He called on the people to remain calm in the alleged face of unwarranted intimidation and harassment by soldiers, he assured that his administration would take appropriate measures to seek redress.

     Dickson further expressed regret over the militarisation of the Niger Delta states and urged all well- meaning Nigerians to stand up in defence of democracy.

    He said: :”We have major challenges in this state arising from militarisation and clear failure on the part of the agencies to do their jobs as it should be.

    ‘In Peremabiri in Southern Ijaw, several peopple, almost a thousand people couldn’t vote as they are now IDPs hiding in Yenagoa and other places.

    “Criminals supported by the Nigerian military services have held the community hostage.

    “Some security personnel who managed to get to Peremabiri were turned back and you ask me whether we have a nation within a nation.

    “In Bassambiri, PDP leaders and followers were pushed out by force and they are now IDPs in Ogbolomabiri, Yenagoa and other communities.

    “This is because the APC knows that they are not on ground in this state so they want to win by force.

    “I have just received an alert that in Ayama Constituency, military officials are trying to overpower electoral officers to cart away materials so that they can write any result.

    “And the REC and his team in our state have not demonstrated courage, professionalism, competence and respect for their own guidelines, all because they want to crown APC in Bayelsa by force.”

     

  • APC accuses Dickson of sponsoring insecurity, fake news

    The Bayelsa State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State has accused the state governor,  Seriake Dickson, of wasting the state’s scare resources to procure violence and compromise elections.

    APC State Publicity Secretary, Dofie Buokoribo, made the allegation while addressing journalists in Yenagoa.

    Buokoribo said Dickson was in the habit of playing victim and sponsoring fake news as a cover for his nefarious acts.

    He advised residents of the state to be watchful and alert to guard against the governor’s antics ahead of the House of Assembly elections in the state.

    APC alleged that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) used state resources to buy votes in past elections and was determined to do same on Saturday, at a time when the state was having difficulty with payment of workers’ salaries.

    He said: “He is also using state funds to arm political thugs and other lawless elements across the state, especially in areas where he is unpopular and has no social base.

    “These thugs and lawless elements are working with his terror squad, Operation Doo Akpo. The irony of it is that as he is busy engaging in this ungodly act, he will be the one shouting that our party has perfected plans to cause mayhem in the state”.

    He said the governor suffered from a persecution complex and played the victim card when he was actually the aggressor.

    “As our people go out to vote this Saturday, we urge them to know that voting out the PDP and Governor Dickson’s anointed candidates is a task that must be done. The only way Dickson and his party can win this election is by playing outside the rules”, he said.

    The APC spokesman lashed out at the governor for setting up a “strange Judicial Commission” on electoral violence with APC members as clearly marked out targets.

    He advised members of the party not to have anything to do with the panel.

    Buokoribo urged the new Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olushola David, who was posted as Command CP to supervise the polls, to be neutral in the discharge of his duties.

    He said: ‘Until the emergence of our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), there were no serious electoral contests along party lines in Bayelsa State.

    “At that time, once you had the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), you were almost certain of victory in the main elections. It was in that sense that our state used to be referred to as a one-party state. That is now history.

    “In 2015, we had only one member in the state House of Assembly. This was not because our suffering people did not vote APC. They desired change, and voted massively for us but we were robbed of our victory.

    “Even in the last governorship election, the people of Bayelsa State were with us. What happened was that the PDP used our money, Bayelsa State’s money, to buy its way to victory. Today, nobody can accuse the APC of not actually existing in Bayelsa State.

    “In the last Presidential Elections, we gave President Muhammadu Buhari 37.5 percent of the vote. We also secured one seat in the Senate and two in the Federal House of Representatives. We are convinced that without the rough and tumble that characterised that election, we could have done better.

    ‘The people of Bayelsa State have a duty not to allow Governor Dickson succeed with his evil plans to subvert their will.

    “In this election, as in previous ones, we have seen the governor and the PDP engage the media for smear campaigns, fake news and psychological warfare.

    “Only a few days ago, they claimed thugs loyal to the leadership of our party sacked mobile policemen and operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Bassambiri-Nembe.

    “They added that the community had become a ghost town as residents had fled to Yenagoa and Ogbolomabiri-Nembe as refugees. Sadly, they did not tell us the location of any Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp.

    “Here, we must thank a section of the media who visited the community and did independent reports that challenged the picture painted by Governor Dickson and his party”.

    He added: “Let us make it very clear here that this election will not be decided on the basis of a campaign of calumny, fake news and schizoid propaganda.

    “We commend the people of Bassambiri-Nembe for standing up to Governor Dickson. Come Saturday, he will be decisively defeated.

    “Finally, we welcome the decision of the Federal Government of Nigeria to increase the presence of the armed and security forces in a number of states, including Bayelsa.

    “In particular, we welcome the new Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olushola David, posted as Command CP to supervise the elections. We urge him to be neutral.

    “On no account should Dickson’s terror outfit, Operation Doo Akpo, be allowed to operate on Election Day. The outfit has no electoral function. Dickson had used the outfit in the past to compromise our elections”.

     

  • Dickson visits family of PDP leader killed in electoral violence

    The Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, yesterday visited the family of the late Seidougha Taridi, the Leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who was killed by gunmen in army uniform during the last elections to condole with the family.

    Dickson’s Special Adviser on Media Relations, Fidelis Soriwei, in a statement said that the governor was accompanied in the visit by top officials of the Bayelsa State Government and the leaders of the Bayelsa State Council in the visit.

    In the entourage of the Governor were the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Kombowei Benson, PDP State Chairman, Moses Cleopas, winner of Yenagoa/Kolokuma/Opokuma Federal Constituency, Prof Steve Azaiki, and winner of Bayelsa Central Senatorial District, Douye Diri, Commissioner for Agriculture, Doodei Week, Special Adviser on Chieftaincy Affairs, Chief Douye Douglas-Naingba, among others.

    Dickson said that the state government, the PDP and the state were saddened by the gruesome murder of the PDP Ward Leader in the community by men in Army uniform feared to be soldiers.

    He described Taridi’s death as shocking and painful saying it was a needless case of cold-blooded murder of an innocent man, who was not involved in any incident near a polling unit but was killed in his own house in his toilet by soldiers.

    He said that Taridi’s killing was not just cold-blooded but also a collective assault on the Bayelsa and her people.

    He stressed that the late Taridi was in his house when soldiers were invited to gun him down, and a Government House Photographer, Reginald Dei, who survived the attack.

    He assured the grieving family of the determination of the government to ensure that those, who perpetrated the heinous acts were brought to justice.

    The governor said that his administration inaugurated a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to formally investigate and document the violence that rocked the elections in parts of Bayelsa for posterity.

    He said: “We grieve with all of you and the entire Oweikorogha community, the party and the entire state grieves with you because this gruesome cold blooded murder shouldn’t have happened.

    “There was no need for it. He was not fighting with anybody, he was not armed in any way, was never near even a polling station, he was not by way near electoral materials. He was in his own house, in his parlour and people came, they were invited, soldiers were invited to gun him down in the privacy of his own home.

    “This is not just a gruesome act of terminating the live of a promising young man, it is a collective assault on our state and that is why I have led this delegation to personally come to condole with you, his father, wife, children, brother and sisters and all other members of the Taribi family.

    “And we again state our resolve to bring the perpetrators of this gruesome murder, cold blooded murder to book in any way we can. I want to thank you all for your courage.”

    Read also: How INEC ‘rebuffed’ PDP’s attempt to stop Buhari’s victory

    Also speaking, family Spokesman, Mr, Temple Igunikeke, gave a detailed account of how the Taridi and the Government House Photographer were shot inside the house.

    According to him, two men whose identities he gave as Ogili and Thankgod, led the men in army uniform to the Taridi’s residence where the deceased was resting to carry out the cold-blooded murder.

    Igunikeke who spoke in the presence of the father and widow of the deceased, said that Taridi and Dei were resting in the house after voting to await the outcome of the election when the two men led the assailants to the residence to shoot them.

    He called on the government and the relevant agencies to investigate the gruesome killing of Taridi and the shooting of Dei, to ensure that those involved in the murder are brought to justice.

    He said: “I wish to inform you that in which ever form they try to style the way they killed my nephew only one thing counts, the truth. We had finished elections and we were counting and there was no single event anywhere and as the leader that led us, he needed to rest a little and take back the votes to Oporoma and he was in his home with our dear brother, the photographer of government house .

    “No single Oweikorogha man will attest to the fact that there was anything near what they have done, that was expected. Nobody was there, and, of course, he had the right to remain in his house and they came, Ogili and ThankGod manifested in the toga of the salient saying in the bible that the enemy came to kill,steal, and destroy.

    “In your presence as the amiable Governor of this state that has taken us this far, I want to pledge before you that blood that cries for vengeance. Let the blood of Seidougha  also cry for vengeance. I want to thank and bless you and the government for the second time that you have come here.”

     

  • 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).

    Read Also: Ondo APC celebrates in grand style

    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”.

     

  • Dickson visits family of PDP leader killed in electoral violence

    Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, on Thursday visited the family of the late Seidougha Taridi, leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who was killed by gunmen in army uniforms during the last elections to condole with the family.

    Dickson’s Special Adviser on Media Relations, Fidelis Soriwei, in a statement said the governor was accompanied in the visit by top officials of the Bayelsa State Government and the leaders of the Bayelsa State Council in the visit.

    In the entourage of the Governor were the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Kombowei Benson; PDP State Chairman, Moses Cleopas; winner of Yenagoa/Kolokuma/Opokuma Federal Constituency Prof Steve Azaiki and winner of Bayelsa Central Senatorial District, Douye Diri.

    Also on the entourage were Commissioner for Agriculture Doodei Week and Special Adviser on Chieftaincy Affairs Chief Douye Douglas-Naingba, among others.

    Dickson said that the state government, the PDP and the state were saddened by the gruesome murder of the PDP Ward Leader in the community by men in Army uniform feared to be soldiers.

    He described Taridi’s death as shocking and painful saying it was a needless case of cold-blooded murder of an innocent man, who was not involved in any incident near a polling unit but was killed in his own house in his toilet by soldiers.

    He said that Taridi’s killing was not just cold-blooded but also a collective assault on the Bayelsa and her people.

    He stressed the late Taridi was in his house when soldiers were invited to gun him down and a Government House Photographer, Reginald Dei, who survived the attack.

    He assured the grieving family of the determination of the government to ensure that those who perpetrated the heinous acts were brought to justice.

    The governor said that his administration inaugurated a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to formally investigate and document the violence that rocked the elections in parts of Bayelsa for posterity.

    He said: “We grieve with all of you and the entire Oweikorogha community, the party and the entire state grieves with you because this gruesome cold blooded murder shouldn’t have happened.

    “There was no need for it. He was not fighting with anybody, he was not armed in any way, was never near even a polling station, he was not by way near electoral materials.

    “He was in his own house, in his parlour and people came, they were invited, soldiers were invited to gun him down in the privacy of his own home.

    “This is not just a gruesome act of terminating the live of a promising young man, it is a collective assault on our state and that is why I have led this delegation to personally come to condole with you, his father, wife, children, brother and sisters and all other members of the Taribi family.

    Read Also: Dickson, APC trade words over election violence

    “And we again state our resolve to bring the perpetrators of this gruesome murder, cold blooded murder to book in any way we can. I want to thank you all for your courage.”

    Also speaking, family Spokesman, Mr, Temple Igunikeke, gave a detailed account of how the Taridi and the Government House Photographer were shot inside the house.

    According to him, two men whose identities he gave as Ogili and Thankgod, led the men in army uniform to Taridi’s residence where the deceased was resting to carry out the cold-blooded murder.

    Igunikeke, who spoke in the presence of the father and widow of the deceased, said Taridi and Dei were resting in the house after voting to await the outcome of the election when the two men led the assailants to the residence to shoot them.

    He called on the government and the relevant agencies to investigate the gruesome killing of Taridi and the shooting of Dei, to ensure that those involved in the murder are brought to justice.

    He said: “I wish to inform you that in which ever form they try to style the way they killed my nephew only one thing counts, the truth.

    “We had finished elections and we were counting and there was no single event anywhere and as the leader that led us, he needed to rest a little and take back the votes to Oporoma and he was in his home with our dear brother, the photographer of government house .

    “No single Oweikorogha man will attest to the fact that there was anything near what they have done, that was expected.

    “Nobody was there, and, of course, he had the right to remain in his house and they came, Ogili and ThankGod manifested in the toga of the salient saying in the bible that the enemy came to kill,steal, and destroy.

    “In your presence as the amiable Governor of this state that has taken us this far, I want to pledge before you that blood that cries for vengeance.

    “Let the blood of Seidougha also cry for vengeance. I want to thank and bless you and the government for the second time that you have come here.”

  • Dickson, APC trade words over election violence

    Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson has accused leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) of masterminding the killings and violence which characterised Saturday’s elections.

    Dickson, who addressed reporters at the Government House in Yenagoa, lamented that at least three persons – one in Nembe-Bassambiri and two in Southern Ijaw – were killed, with many others injured.

    The governor alleged that security agencies, especially the Army, colluded with APC leaders to kill members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    According to him, thugs loyal to APC unleashed mayhem on polling units under the watch of soldiers. The governor particularly accused Chief Timipre Sylva, a former National Deputy Publicity Secretary of APC Yekini Nabena and the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Prof. Nelson Brambaifa, of leading assaults against voters.

    According to him, soldiers shot sporadically throughout Friday night. “The shooting continued in the morning while the thugs abducted INEC officials and took them to a hotel where they thumb-printed all the ballot papers meant for the seven wards in Nembe-Bassambiri,” he added.

    The governor, who alleged that the APC was making efforts to transmit “the unlawful results” to INEC, appealed to the commission to reject the overtures since no elections held in Nembe-Bassambiri.

    He urged the people of Nembe-Bassambiri to rise against the development, and promised to lead a protest against attempts to subvert and undermine their will.

    But Brambaifa and Nabena denied the allegations, saying they were never in breach of the electoral process. Nabena said he was never arrested with arms, and asked the governor and other persons making the allegations to present the weapons found on him by security agents.

    “If I were arrested with arms, it is easier for them to show the arms in my possession. The governor and his people in the PDP were the ones who stockpiled armed in every local government area,” he said.

    Brambaifa through his media aide, Ebiakpor Barley, dissociated himself from the incident at Agbere, saying he had no reason to disrupt an electoral process.

    The APC also accused Dickson of raising false alarm to conceal his own violent attitude at the polls.

    A statement by the Publicity Secretary, Doifie Buokoribo, in Okpoama-Brass, said: “The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State is disappointed, but hardly surprised by the outrageous remarks of Governor Seriake Dickson concerning Saturday’s elections. Dickson accused the APC of sponsoring violence, without any proof, even by his own admission.

    “We have always known that crying wolf is a fancy act performed with outrageous ease by Dickson. But accusing APC of violence after openly unleashing his security strike force, Operation Doo Akpo, to intimidate the electorate is the height of indecency.

    “Dickson’s character of raising false alarm to try to cover his political machinations is known to all, and we are happy the people won’t believe him. But to set the record straight, APC and its leaders were not involved in violence during or after the elections.”

  • Dickson desperate to upturn APC victory in Bayelsa- Sylva

    A former Governor of Bayelsa State and Leader of All Progressives Congress ( APC ) in the state, Chief Timipre Sylva, on Monday said the incumbent Governor, Seriake Dickson, was desperately scheming to upturn APC victory in the state.

    Sylva, who dismissed the protest of PDP leaders and aides to Dickson seeking the cancellation of elections in Nembe-Bassambiri and Southern Ijaw, told the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to fall victim of Dickson’s antics.

    He said Dickson having seen that his candidates including Alhaji Atiku Abubakar lost in Nembe-Bassambiri and in Southern Ijaw, had resorted to propaganda and lies to deceive INEC and rob the APC and Buahri of their victory.

    Sylva, however, claimed that the governor was behind all the violence he accused the APC of adding that the dead casualty in Nembe was a member of the APC.

    He said it had been the style of the governor to be playing the victim while dealing with his perceived enemies noting that it was irresponsible for a governor to be heating up the polity with unnecessary protest.

  • Dickson, APC leaders’ trade words on electoral violence, killings 

    Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, Monday accused leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) of masterminding the killings and other forms of violence that occurred in the state during the Presidential and National Assembly elections.

    Briefing journalists in Government House, Yenagoa, Dickson lamented that at least three persons, one in Nembe-Bassambiri and two in Southern Ijaw, were killed with many people across the state sustaining injuries.

    The visibly angry governor alleged that security agencies especially troops of the Nigerian Army, colluded with the APC leaders to kill the victims, who were members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    Read Also:Lokpobiri to Dickson: stop linking us to electoral violence

    He said thugs loyal to APC unleashed mayhem on polling units across the state under the watch of soldiers adding that troops were responsible for the act of terrorism against innocent voters by thugs.

    The governor particularly accused a former Governor of the state, Chief Timipre Sylva, a surveillance contractor, a former National Deputy Publicity Secretary, APC, Yekini Nabena and the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Prof. Nelson Brambaifa, of leading assaults against voters in the state.

    He alleged that Sylva and the surveillance contractor in connivance with soldiers unleashed pre-election violence on Nembe-Bassambiri by shooting into the community throughout Friday night.

    He said the shooting continued in the morning while thugs loyal to them abducted INEC officials and took them to a hotel where they thumb-printed all the ballot papers meant for the seven wards in Nembe-Bassambiri.

    He said INEC in the state had done nothing about it despite text messages sent to the Resident Electoral Commissioner by one of the INEC officials abducted by the thugs.

    The governor alleged that the APC was making efforts to transmit “the unlawful results” to the INEC and appealed to the commission to reject the overtures since according to him no elections held in Nembe-Bassambiri.

    He asked the people of Nembe-Bassambiri to rise against the development and promised to lead a protest against attempts to subvert and undermine the will of the people.

    The governor further alleged that Brambaifa came with about 50 soldiers to disrupt elections in Agbere, adding that they deliberately scattered all the votes when they saw they were losing.

    Dickson claimed that Nabena was arrested with arms at Odi by soldiers but was later released after security agencies received orders from above.

    He said: “I am telling the people of Bassambiri not to accept this and they have my support. Bassambiri has to be freed. I am calling on the leaders of Bassambiri not to allow this nonsense to persist in that proud land. For us we will not accept this.

    “I have had cause to issue several statements on this. I will lead demonstrations and protests aimed at vindicating the democratic rights of the people of Bassambiri. I shall do so. I call on the REC to drop his lilly-liver and wear the garb of an electoral umpire in the state.

    “Because if you allow Sylva to take several electoral materials, lock the place down by force of illegal arms with soldiers and others conniving with them, then what you are telling politicians is that votes are not important”.

    He said there were efforts by thugs loyal to the APC to storm the Sagbama collation centre and manipulate the results in his local government areas.

    On the killings, he promised to set up a judicial commission of enquiries to look into the roles played by leaders and security agencies in the elections.

    But he added: “A preliminary report that I have indicated that they were killed by soldiers. They were not killed by thugs. The chieftain of our party who was in house waiting for the results to be collated and announced but an APC leader who had access to solders went and pointed at them and they just shot them.

    “I believe that the full circumstances will be unraveled. But I feel very sad. Nobody should die in an election. If you defeat my candidate, I will even congratulate you. We are not enemies to kill ourselves. It’s so sad.”

    The governor, however, praised the electoral process in Brass and Ekeremor, saying for the first time in the history of the state, the people were allowed to cast their votes in peaceful atmosphere.

    In their reactions Brambaifa and Nabena denied the allegations against them by the governor saying they were never in breach of the electoral process.

    Nabena said he was never arrested with arms and asked the governor and other persons making the allegations to present the weapons found on him by security agents.