Bayelsa guber: APC, PDP in war of words over alleged rigging plot

FROM FEMI FO­LARANMI, YENAGOA

The Sylva/ Igiri cam­paign organisation (SICO) of the All Progressives Con­gress (APC) and the Bay­elsa Restoration Campaign Organisation (BYRCO) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have again traded words over alleged harbouring of suspected thugs in Bayelsa Govern­ment House and plot to rig the December 5th gover­norship elections.

The APC said it has un­covered plans by the PDP to unleash violence before, dur­ing and after the December 5 governorship election in the state.

The Director of Publicity, Chief Nathan Egba in a state­ment alleged that mastermind of the killing of Mr Andrew June, an APC stalwart in Ekeremor local government area is being given refuge in the Government House.

Egba who also alleged that political thugs have been im­ported from neighbouring states expressed worry that PDP agents in Bayelsa com­munities are busy buying up Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) of unsuspecting resi­dents.

According to him, the party said it is raising the is­sues to alert the Independent National Electoral Commis­sion (INEC) and the Inspec­tor-General of Police to take action and stop the PDP from throwing Bayelsa into crisis.

The statement reads in part “Information at our disposal indicates that the PDP has imported some fierce look­ing thugs from nearby states, who were driven into the state in Coaster buses, escorted by a detachment of Security men attached to Government House, Yenagoa.

These thugs are to wear the police and military uniforms being sewn in the Govern­ment House guest houses as we already alerted the secu­rity operatives about it an ear­lier press Statement.

“In the light of the above, we are still calling on the Se­curity agencies to probe these allegations and get to the root of the matter in order to fore­stall violence and protect the integrity of the forth-coming election.

“By far the most worry­ing development is the PDP Campaign team’s penchant for collecting innocent rural dwellers Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVC), on payment of One thousand naira or less in some cases.”

In a swift reaction, BYR­CO said APC allegations are tissues of lies which should be disregarded.

The Director of Publicity of BYRCO, Hon Jonathan Obuebite in a statement said APC’s claim was an after thought after exposing its plan to rig the election by sewing army and police uni­forms to be given to thugs on election day to intimidate voters or hijack electoral ma­terials.

“We are happy this issue is raised again and a challenge to the security agencies to deal ruthlessly with any fake individuals in army or police uniform on election- day.”

We exposed this plot by the APC at our press conference two week ago and we stand by our allegations. But the APC now wants to pretend otherwise which exposes their usual tricks. It’s all a bunch of lies.