From: Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
The Bayelsa State Government has condemned, in very strong terms, the attack at the All Progressive Congress (APC) secretariat in Yenagoa, the state capital.
This was even as Bayelsa APC leaders have insisted that the three expelled members of the party were moles of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
Armed militants led by an ex-militant leader had during a stakeholders meeting called by APC acting Chairman, Mr Joseph Fafi over the weekend attempted to disrupt the meeting which was repelled by security agents on duty.
However, Bayelsa State deputy governor, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah, in a statement he personally signed, on Sunday, regretted the “loss of lives occasioned by the ugly incident” and called on law enforcement agents to investigate the incident and bring those behind it to book.
Jonah explained that Bayelsa state has witnessed unprecedented peace and harmony due largely to the capacity and determination of Governor Henry Seriake Dickson to ensure peace reigns in the state to attract necessary development.
The statement read in part “That as a government, we will not stand by and watch the APC members unleash terror and violence on law abiding, innocent citizens to the extent of getting people killed. APC members should henceforth desist from their violent tendencies and inclinations as the era of politics of violence is no longer tenable and fashionable and that they should endeavour to conduct themselves decently and in a civilized manner. The Bayelsa state government commends the security agencies for their timely intervention in bringing the ugly situation under control and urged them to investigate and prosecute the culprits to serve as deterrent to others. That the state of affairs on Friday 18th of August whereby law-abiding Bayelsans and other residents of Yenagoa were forcefully prevented from going about their lawful duties and subjected to absolute mayhem by gun-toting rival members of the APC is totally unacceptable and cannot be tolerated by this government, Henceforth any person of persons no matter how highly placed, suspected to be behind such brazen breakdown of law and order in the state will be subjected to the full rigours of the law.
Meanwhile the APC leaders led by former governor Timipre Sylva and the Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri have said the three members suspended by the party were in APC to sabotage efforts of the party.
Sylva noted that the party was aware of their motives and gave them time to retrace their steps but they were neck deep in the alliance with the PDP giving the party no option than to show them the way.