“I was shocked and surprised when I saw them at the airport to receive us.” – Parents of conjoined twins Apologize to Chief Jonah over the open display by Deputy Gov. Ewhrudjakpo

Commenting on the drama at the Bayelsa Airport, where the State Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo appeared with crowd of Government officials to receive the twins, the father of the separated twins, Ayebaikemi Ralph, expressed shock at the action of the State Government officials, insisting that officials of the state government had no hand in the operations that led to the survival of the twins, “I was shocked and surprised when I saw them at the airport to receive us.”

He explained that the welfare of his family and that of his separated twins were bankrolled by a Chieftain of the All progressive Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State, Chief Gabriel Jonah, ”after the birth of the conjoined twins on the 12th of December, 2019, no one came to our rescue not even the state government. But Chief Jonah intervened and was ready to sponsor our medical trip abroad but the FMC Adamawa intervened and did a good job.” the Father Said;

“We want to apologize to Chief Jonah over the open display by the State Deputy Governor and his team. My family and I would never forget all that Chief Jonah did for the survival of my twins. He saved us as a family.”

Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo while receiving the twins use the medium to debunked reports making the rounds that the immediate past administration spent about N100 billion naira for the construction of the state Airport as malicious, mischievous and evil.

The deputy governor, however, said contrary to the unfounded reports being bandied about, only N56 billion was used in constructing the Airport which is adjudged as one of the best in the country.

Senator Ewhrudjakpo disclosed this at the Airport while receiving the Bayelsa-born conjoined twins who were flown back to the state over the weekend after a successful surgery at the Federal Medical Centre, Yola.

His words;

“Before the 2019 elections, one of them even went as far as saying that the Airport was covered by flood just to discredit the Dickson-led PDP Government for cheap political gains.

“It was just a gimmick and they all had the thinking (plan) that they will do anything to win the election, come into this place and then claim that they did something extra to it and then claim the glory of this airport for which Honourable Dickson toiled night and day to build for us.”

Senator Ewhrudjakpo who expressed gratitude to God for the successful separation of the co-joined twins, also commended President Mohammadu Buhari, Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Abubakar Sadique, and the medical teams from Federal Medical Centre, Yola and its Yenagoa counterpart for their various contributions.

Describing the twins as special babies, he said apart from crude oil, the state has achieved another remarkable historical feat by producing the first successfully operated Siamese twins in the South-south region of the country.

The Deputy Governor, who promised to take responsibility for Baby Grace, one of the twin babies including her university education, assured the parents of the state government’s support to ensure their upkeep.

Speaking earlier, the Chief Medical Director of Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, Dr Dennis Alagoa, said Baby Grace and her sister, Mercy, were born on the 12th of December last year at Nembe General Hospital.

According to Dr Alagoa, the Siamese twins were transferrred to his hospital a day after their delivery and were under intensive care until January 2nd this year when they were flown to FMC, Yola, Adamawa State for surgery.

The Chief Medical Director who also appreciated the Chief of Air Staff and the medical team of FMC, Yola for their supportive roles, requested the state government to provide employment for the parents to guarantee the upkeep of the twins.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Ayebaekipreye Ebinyefa, the mother of the conjoined twins separated during the 4 hours operation carried out January 2nd at the Federal Medical Centre, Adamawa arrived Saturday in Yenagoa, in the Bayelsa State capital, declaring that the successful separation of the conjoined twins has saved her from being ridiculed and tag a witch by her people in Nembe area of the State.

Ebinyefa, who arrived the Bayelsa Airport aboard a Nigerian Airforce plane, in company of her husband and the healthy looking children, said the successful surgery and survival of her twin will save her from ridicule and wickedness of being tagged a witch, “I am happy about the success of the operation. As you can see they are kicking and happy”.

It would be recalled that Baby Grace and her sister, Mercy, were born conjoined on the 12th of December last year at Nembe General Hospital and the Siamese twins were flown to FMC, Yola, Adamawa State for surgery.

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