…Calls for thorough investigation, prosecution of culprits
The Bayelsa State Government has expressed serious concern over the regular violence and security breaches that occur during activities of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the State. The government also condemned the recent violent incident at the APC secretariat in Yenagoa that led to the death of two persons, with several others injured and property worth millions of naira destroyed.
In a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Hon. Jonathan Obuebite, the government described the recent incident as a serious breach of the existing peace in the state, barbaric and against all democratic and acceptable norms.
The statement recalled with regret that the APC has failed to conduct its affairs peacefully, since its inception in the state, pointing out that the party’s very first governorship primaries leading up to the 2015 elections witnessed the unfortunate incident of a serving governor being held hostage.
It further noted that the APC leadership and its supporters also unleashed terror and violence on law abiding citizens of the state, especially in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, which equally led to the untimely death of some persons during the 2015 governorship polls.
The state government called on the law enforcement agencies, to investigate and prosecute the perpetrators of the recent outbreak of violence during the party’s non-elective congress in Yenagoa, the state capital, which led to the shooting, killing and maiming of innocent citizens.
The statement further called on the Federal Government and the national leadership of APC to prevail on its officials in Bayelsa State to conduct themselves responsibly as their activities were becoming disgraceful and highly embarrassing to the government and the law abiding people of the state.
“It is a very sad commentary that the APC in Bayelsa State has turned itself to a lawless and violent organization, where its leaders and supporters resort to violence at every slight provocation, even for internal matters of the party that ought to have been handled with maturity and reasonable level of understanding.”