By Amos Okioma,
Yenagoa
The Bayelsa State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the weekend alleged that Governor Henry Seriake Dickson was raising a false alarm about violence during the presidential and National Assembly elections in the state.
The party said that Dickson’s goal in shouting “violence” was to mask his own terror and lawlessness towards the polls.
“The governor has since followed this up on Sunday with wild and unsubstantiated allegations against the Nigerian Army, the APC and its leadership, among others. Dickson specifically excoriated former Bayelsa State Governor and APC leader, Chief Timipre Sylva,” the party stated.
In a statement by the APC Bayelsa State Publicity Secretary, Doifie Buokoribo, the party said that in Dickson’s court, Sylva and APC stalwarts were guilty of hijacking of electoral materials, killings – and even terrorism.
APC further stated: “We reiterate that the APC in Bayelsa State and its leadership had nothing whatsoever to do violence during last Saturday’s elections. Governor Dickson and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), should be held responsible.
“This was what happened in Twon-Brass – according to an eyewitness account:
“The Caretaker chairman of Brass, Victor Isaiah, stormed INEC Collation Centre with a bus load of thugs, rents the air with war chants. Mrs. Marie Ebikake, the PDP candidate for Brass/Nembe Federal House of Representatives, accompanied Isaiah. They went into the collation room with the intent to stop the collation and announcement of results.
“Twon-Brass is the senatorial headquarters for Bayelsa East Senatorial district, and all election results from the area should be collated and announced in Twon-Brass and not Yenagoa where Victor Isaiah and Jonathan Obuebite (Bayelsa State Commissioner for Education), in connivance with the Nigerian Police, attempted to cart away election results to.
“Victor Isaiah, in the first instance had no business being inside the INEC collation office, as he was not a party agent. Nevertheless, he stormed the INEC Collation Centre with thugs to prevent the collation of results. His first attempt to prevent collation of results failed as he was ordered to leave the Collation Centre.
“Marie Ebikake tried to protest the results from Bassambiri-Nembe, insisting there was no election, this was countered by the INEC collation officer who insisted there was, and her PDP agent endorsed the Bassambiri-Nembe result. Marie Ebikake announced her intention to protest the result through a petition.
“As a candidate, Marie Ebikake wasn’t supposed to be in the collation room, but she appeared there twice trying to prevent the collation and announcement Bassambiri-Nembe result.
“Jonathan Obuebite threatened to beat INEC collation officer for refusing to compromise as desired by Mr. Obuebite.
“Victor Isaiah returns a second time, stormed the collation room in a fury, threatening fire and brimstone if the results are announced. Security personnel again ordered him out. On his way out of INEC premises, he blurted out these words, ‘Make dem leave us make we fight for only one hour.’’
