Governor of Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson has accused a former governor of the state, Timipre Sylva of acts of terrorism against the state.
He also accused the General Officer Commanding, 6 Division of the Nigerian Army and the military of having a hand in the violence that attended last Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections.
In a chat with the media, Dickson alleged that Sylva, a leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state, and one Kodjo, an Oil Surveillance Contractor, have taken electoral officers hostage at Darius Hotel, Bassambiri.
Speaking through his Special Adviser, Media Relations, Fidelis Soriwei, the governor said what Sylva and Kodjo did in Bassambiri “was pure terrorism.”
He also accused the GOC, 6 Division, Nigerian Army of giving unlawful orders to officers and men who provided cover for APC leaders and thugs to carry out electoral fraud in some parts of the state.
Dickson particularly condemned the killings and hijacking of electoral materials in areas such as Bassambiri, Oluasiri, OpuNembe, Agbere, Oweikorogha, Apoi, Azuzuama and Korokorosei and called on the Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, to reject results from the affected areas so as to promote its integrity and the electoral process.
He however commended the people of Ekeremor and Twon Brass for taking the bold step to vote in an election for the first time attributing the development to his administration’s commitment to the respect for fundamental human rights as well as the creation of a conducive atmosphere for political participation in the state.
The Governor who expressed sadness over the shooting of Government House Photographer, Reginald Dei as well as the gruesome murder of PDP members including the Ward Chairman in Oweikorogha community Mr. Seidougha Taribi and condoled with their families over the incident.
He disclosed that his administration would set up a Commission of Inquiry to investigate the political killings and other offences committed during the 2019 general elections assuring that appropriate actions would be taken against those found culpable.
His words:”It is unfortunate that the GOC has turned this Division to be the most politicized in the country. Illegitimate orders were issued where a General and officers were seen escorting politicians and supervising elections in Bayelsa. That is how the military particularly the Nigerian Army has reduced its integrity.
“You all know how I respect and support security agencies in this state who carry out their duties professionally and I will continue to do so.
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“At Agbere, a community that has never known electoral crisis, they went with about 50 soldiers in company of the Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Prof. Nelson Brambaifa, to scatter ballot papers which made women to protest the violation of their rights. They have turned our state into a garrison of sorts.
“The President MuhammaduBuhari that they are working for, how many guns has he bought for thugs to be shooting their own people in Katsina. In the same vein, in Atiku’s Adamawa, do we see APC leaders bringing security personnel to terrorize and kill their own people because of election?”
“I have all the evidence of the illegalities the General and his men were perpetrating against legitimate voters who were only asking to exercise their franchise freely and peacefully.
“They provided cover to APC leaders. Every APC leader has hordes of security officials during the election, when we don’t even have enough police officers to man polling units.
“From all available intelligence, our state is under attack. APC thugs led by Timipre Sylva and a certain Kodjo brandish weapons, shoot and terrorize our people in Bassambiri and carted away election materials meant for 7 wards.”
