Police Dock Three Youths for Booing, Stoning Sylva

Following the booing and stoning of Governor Timipre Sylva at the Samson Siasia Sports Stadium in Yenagoa during the civic reception of President Goodluck Jonathan to Bayelsa State, two Epie youths and one Ijaw had been arrested and arraigned before a Federal High Court sitting in Yenagoa .

Toremeye Fibi (male) 37 years, Ukalizeb Bernard (male) 28 years and Beneyi Blackie Best (male) 30 years were Monday arraigned before a Federal High Court sitting in Yenagoa on a two-count charge.

In the case with charge No FHG/YNG/252010, the prosecuting counsel Mr. Henry A. Ogbeiwi is accusing the three suspects to have attempted to remove from office the governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva and thereby committed what he described as treasonably felony.

The prosecuting counsel also charged the suspects to have attempted to compel the President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan to change his attitude and have negative opinion about the governor of Bayelsa State.

The two-count charge sheet reads in part: “that you Toremeye Fibi, Ukalizebe Bernard, Beniyi Blackie Best and others at large on the 22nd day of October, 2010 at Samson Siasia Stadium, Ovom, Yenagoa did conspire to commit felony, to wit: Treasonable felony, by forming an intension to remove during the term of office other than by constitutional means Governor Timipre Sylva as the Governor of Bayelsa State.

“To compel by intimidation the President of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan to change his measure, council, attitude and have negative opinion about the governor of Bayelsa State.

“And you manifested such intension by stoning the governor of Bayelsa with stones, dangerous weapons, and sachet of pure water in order to discredit the governor's administration and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 516 of the Criminal Code Act CAP C38 laws of Federation of Nigeria, 2004”.

However, BOF reports that the three suspects all pleaded not guilty of the criminal allegations leveled against them.

The presiding Judge, Justice R. M. Aikawa therefore adjourned the case to 1st, 2nd, 6th, 7th and 8th of December, 2010 for accelerated hearing.

Meanwhile, BOF checks had revealed that two out of the three suspects are natives of Azikoro Community in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

One of them, we gathered, is the Youth President of Azikoro Community and a staunch supporter of Mr. Petterson Ogon, an Epie-born PDP aspirant vying for the Yenagoa Constituency I in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly.

We also learnt that the embattled Azikoro Youth President is opposed to the second term bid of Hon. Alfred Egba of Attisa Kingdom who now represents the Yenagoa constituency I, arguing that it was the turn of Epie to produce a candidate for the 2011 election into the Yenagoa constituency I based on the 'political arrangement' between the Epie/Attisan Kingdoms.

Our checks also revealed that one of the three suspects from Ekeremor Local Government Area is a relation of a governorship aspirant under the platform of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in the state, Mr. Famous Daunemigha who is known to be a political critic of the governor Sylva- led administration.

Meanwhile, mixed reactions have continued to trail the ugly incident that occurred penultimate Friday 22nd October , 2010 at the Samson Siasia Sports Stadium where the Bayelsa state Governor, Chief Timipre Sylva was booed and stoned by Bayelsans during the civic reception of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Since the event, different people had been making comments on what might have caused the people's action which brought national humiliation to the state governor While some are pointing accusing fingers at political opponents, others have blamed the incident on members of the organizing committee set up for the reception of the President, stating that they used the funds to enrich themselves without carrying the youths along.

Yet others have described the attack on the governor as the joy of democracy where the masses are free to protest against bad governance. First to comment on the incident were two ex-militant leaders in Bayelsa state, namely Africanus Ukparasia and Eric Paul a.k.a Ogunbus.

Briefing newsmen in Yenagoa, Ogunbus who described the incident as a shame to Bayelsa, indicted the organizing committee for the president's visit for failing to make judicious use of the funds given to them but rather bought expensive cars for themselves. Prior to the presidential visit, Ogunbus revealed that over three hundred youths from different areas of the state had matched to the Government House to show their concern for participation during the visit but were not given attention.

The ex-freedom fighter also alleged that some politicians sponsored the youths to perpetrate act against the governor.

While condemning the action, Ogunbus stated that even though Bayelsans feel that the governor had not done well, they should have used dialogue to express their grievances.
He called on the Federal Government to reprimand the National Security Adviser and asked the Director, State Security Service to resign immediately.

Also speaking, another ex-militant leader, Africanus Ukparasia accused two governorship aspirants and a serving legislator in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly to have sponsored the act, describing them as desperate politicians.
“We are not going to take this again. We are going to set up “anti desperate politicians' squad if such incident re-occurs in the state” He warned.

But in its reaction, the Action Congress of Nigerian (ACN), which is the only opposition voice in the state said what happened at the Samson Siasia sports stadium had vindicated the party on its constructive criticism over the non-performance of the Sylva-led administration
.
Speaking through its Acting Chairman, Comrade Miriki Ebikibina, the party stressed that the actions of Bayelsans during the president's visit was the true reflection of their minds towards a failed government, adding that nobody was sponsored to carried out the act as being claimed by government officials in the state.

Meanwhile, a group under the aegis of Bayelsa Youth Leaders Forum has tendered an unreserved apology to President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Timipre Sylva of Bayelsa state over the assaults on the later during the former's visit to the state.

Briefing journalists in Yenagoa, the group led by its coordinator, Mr. Egba Claudius claimed that political opponents of the governor manipulated some youths to perpetrate the act, urging Bayelsan youths to be wary of such politicians.
But in disagreement with that claim, the National Youths Council of Nigeria (NYC) said it was not true that some youths were manipulated to assault the governor
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Speaking through its Assistant Social Secretary, Asiagbe Princess Sarah who was also at the briefing, NYC recounted that the assault on the Governor only started from one point and spread across the whole crowd.
Her words: “I disagree with you that anybody was manipulated to perpetrate the act.

“I and my colleagues were all there. It started from one direction and spread all over the whole place. We could not bear it any longer, so we left. It was that shameful. We should only apologize on behalf of the youths of Bayelsa state”.

It could be recalled that the Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva was booed and stoned by the crowd penultimate Friday during the civil reception of President Goodluck Jonathan at the Samson Siasia Sport Stadium in yenagoa.