Supreme Court Verdict: Protests, Violence rocks Bayelsa as APC supporters demand reversal on sack of David Lyon

…protesters attack Governor-elect residence, loot PDP Chieftains’ homes, Bayelsa Radio Station, Shopping malls

…set ablaze parts of PDP secretariats

….Sylva, Oshiomole should be held responsible for faulty candidate selection process

There was early morning panic in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital following the eruption of protest and violence in some parts of the State by women and youths of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who were demanding for the reversal of the Supreme Court verdict which on Thursday sacked the party flag bearer, Chief David Lyon.

The protesters, who carry placards and chanting “No David Lyon, No Bayelsa”, attacked the residence of PDP candidate and declared Governor-elect, Senator Douye Diri along the Imgbi road area of the State capital.

Also attacked were the Public Library built by Hon. Steve Azaiki, member of the Federal House of Representative. The protesters also proceeded to the State Secretariat of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) along the D.S.P Alameiseigha way and set ablaze the security and generator section of the complex.

The complex of the Bayelsa State Broadcasting Corporation owners of the Radio Bayelsa, was not spared in the attack with the destruction of over 15 vehicles owned by the Station and the members of Staff. The protesting youths invaded offices and carted away Televisions sets, mobile phones and other valuables belonging to the staff.

The protesters, who had earlier on Friday barricaded the streets of Yenagoa in protest of the judgement, later went violent destroying property of some PDP chieftains.

The situation at the East-West Road especially the Kaiama axis in Kolokuma-Opokuma Local Government Area was reportedly terrible.

The protesters were said to have taken over the expressway, stopped vehicular movement and kept travelers stranded. They set bonfires on the major road as they insisted that Lyon must be sworn in as the governor of the state.
The combined teams of military and police detachment were later seen in strategic parts of the State to forstall further troubles.

Sylva,Oshiomole should be held responsible for faulty selection of flag bearers

Meanwhile, Chief Perekeme Kpodoh, a former Chief Security Adviser to the Bayelsa State Government, has slammed the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva and the National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomole over the confusion trailing the Supreme Court verdict sacking Chief David Lyon as Governor-elect in the state.

According to Kpodoh, the duo of Sylva and Oshiomole should be held responsible and sanctioned for the shoddy manners selection of APC flag bearers were selected for the governorship election.

Chief Prekeme Kpodoh, who is also a Chieftain of the Party, told newsmen in Yenagoa, that the divide and rule and wrongful actions of Sylva and Oshiomole is costing the state chapter of the Party victory handed to the APC by the majority of Bayelsa voters.

According to Kpodoh, ‘Because he has deceived everybody within the party, both in the state and national level, the verdict from the Supreme Court has brought the party and President Muhammadu Buhari to disrepute.’

‘In the last few years, Chief Timipre Sylva has created enmity among the party structure. All the people that started these party race, all of them have been sidelined. He brought new new people, he brought a man with fake certificate and you call yourself a leader of the party.’

‘He has even put the president, into serious disgrace including the party. Even without this thing even happening, the type of people he was selecting to become appointees in the government, were all stooges. See what happened between him and Lokpobiri? Why must he raise Lokpobiri so high and serious that he doesn’t want to see Lokpobiri.’

‘If it was Lokpobiri, this matter wouldn’t have come into this matter. We said it during that period, but nobody listened to those who fought for the stability of the party. I am the man who fought for the APC in the state. I fought for this party, starting from new PDP to APC and at the latter part of the day, he abandoned us.’

‘He went and brought Tiwe Orunimigha as State Chairman and from Tiwe, everything start scattering till today. Now, he’s bringing new people that he can use. He has destroyed the party again in Bayelsa. Imagine people that stood to fight people came out enmass to vote despite his divide and rule tactics.’

‘ But look at what he has done. What we know is that this is nemesis. Because when you betray people, the God almighty will betray you and this is the betrayal. So that is the issue on ground. So the issue now is how they can look back and revive this issue. We can still review it in supreme court on Lokpobiri’s issue.’

‘Because of what these people have done. Oshomole should now know that when we are talking, they should listen to us. These are the things we have been talking about Sylva. Sylva is not worthy to even to be a Minister, because he tells so many lies.’

‘Look at the party, people that we fought to make sure they become PDP to APC, he has betrayed the guys. Look at the huge monetary and material resources lost to the Supreme Court verdict. Look at the debt they put Lyon into now who is to pay those debts. He will exonerate himself that is the type of person he is.’

‘Lokpobiri who was with him to receive Mr. President, delivered the needed victory to President Muhammdu Buhari and helped in ensuring victory for the party despite Sylvia’s treachery. At the end of the day, you sideline the man. Sylva sustained enmity with the wrong man. Having enmity with the wrong man is wrong and the party chairman started supporting him blindly. Is it because he is a minister?. Who cares have we not been seeing ministers before? Was Dezeani not there, is it not Dezeani they are looking for up and down.
So the issue now, is that the party has to look inwardly now’

Kpodoh however called on protesting APC members in the state to remain calm and allow the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),’. Because since the PDP man, does not have a two-third, they have to give it to the Speaker of the State Assembly and at the same time too, we have to review the case in the supreme court because with the information we are gathering we don’t even understand the one that is the truth or lies.’

‘Even the supreme court, we have to look into the supreme court issues and make sure because there are some people that they should flush out, that are causing confusion in this country because they are supreme court judges.’

He called on the APC flag bearer, Chief David Lyon to take heart and called on true progressives in the state to prevails on protesting party youths to ceasefire and pray that the right thing should be done, ‘So i just want to tell him to take heart. We don’t want to come to him, because we know the master is Sylva and we know what Sylva did to us, he will do it to him’.

‘At this level the APC should calm down, because at this level. APC is coming out with something. It is a recognized party, it’s a party we have spoken but sometimes the party leaders have been deceived by people like Sylvia.’

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