Friday, 29 June 2012
OPERATIVES of the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) yesterday averted a bloody communal clash between the youths of the Odogwuama and Tamana communities of Oporoma in the Southern Ijaw Local Council area of Bayelsa State over alleged disagreement on the proceeds from stolen crude oil and illegally refined products.The crisis, which had last week escalated and led to exchange of gun fire between youths of the warring communities, led to the visit of the Council Chairman, Chief Tiwei Orunimighe.
Also, the two factional chiefs parading themselves as traditional rulers of the warring communities were sacked.
It was gathered that the crisis was provoked by the struggle for the control of the proceeds from illegal bunkering in the area, a situation which led to the emergence of two youth bodies and traditional rulers for the warring communities.
Following the continued crisis in the communities, operatives of the Joint Military Task Force were deployed in the area to protect oil facilities belonging to the Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC).On sighting officers of JTF some of the youths escaped while, one person was arrested and some firearms recovered.
Orunimighe at a peace meeting removed the chairmen of the communities development committees and selected compound chiefs to take over the affairs of the villages pending the election of new paramount rulers.
Orunimigha pleaded with the feuding factions in the communities to maintain peace as they could not install a new leadership through violence.
Tuesday, 11 October 2011
FRANCIS AGBO (Abuja) and OSA OKHOMINA (Yenagoa) chronicle the electoral deficits of Governor Timipre Sylva ahead of the 2012 governorship polls in Bayelsa State.
In Bayelsa State, the fear of Famou Tengbei used to be the beginning of wisdom until recently when it was disbanded by the Inspector General of Police, Hafiz Ringin. Translated in Ijaw,
Famou Tengbei means sweep and throw away. The dreaded outfit was reportedly used by the Bayelsa State governor, Chief Timipre Sylva to cage his opponents thereby creating uncertainty in the oil rich state. To compound the governor’s plight, Silva’s New Phase, a political group working for his return to the Creek Haven in 2012 is shaky. The group is arguably the most loathed group of politicians in Bayelsa State. Why? The governor is so unpopular in the state because majority of the people believe he has in the past four years impoverished the people. ‘‘The governor has put the state on motion with out movement. Chief DSP Alamiesiegha and Dr. Goodluck Jonathan tried to develop the state when they were governors, but all the Silva administration did was to plunder our resources,’’ Chief Power Soha, told LEADERSHIP.
The hatred is even worse among politicians based in Abuja. Loyalists of President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Dame Patience are no exceptions. They had remained silent on the re-election of Sylva as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2012 polls. That has now changed as they have turned 360 degree, working assiduously to truncate the return bid of the governor. Sylva’s critics insist that the current governor has not delivered on his promise to the electorate. They also accused him of disloyalty and disrespect to the office of the President. LEADERSHIP learnt that Sylva’s “unpardonable sins” was that he allegedly deceived Jonathan into believing that he had struck a deal with foreign investors to build a $7billion Hyundai shipyard in Bayelsa State. The excited president announced it to the whole world only to later realise that he was been fooled by Silva. But a source said Sylva came up with the ploy to create an impression before the president that he was working and deserving of a re-election in April 2011. But the election was postponed by the verdict of the Court of Appeal. Sylva was also said to have boasted in a telephone chat with a former Health Commissioner in the state, Dr. Azibabu Eruani that the president was too weak to stop his re-election in 2011. A Source claimed that the chat developed into hot argument between Sylva and his sacked commissioner who recorded the conversation unknown to the governor. Eruani allegedly played back the tape to the hearing of the President’s wife and the National Security Adviser, General Owei Azazi.
And the final straw that broke the camel’s back was Sylva’s alleged request that Jonathan should help influence the impending Supreme Court judgement in favour of the governors. The verdict is to be delivered soon on the tenure of Sylva and other governors whose states didn’t hold elections in April. The thinking of Sylva and colleagues is that the apex court should uphold the ruling of the appellate court so that there would remain in office to superintend the polls. This originally would spell doom for their opponents both at the primaries and general elections. Jonathan was so embarrassed by Sylva’s request and vowed to avoid him like a plaque.
Meanwhile, many Nigerians have been reacting to the Hyndai Shipyard scandal. The Civil Liberty Organization (CLO) described the Hyundai Heavy Industry Shipyard sham as a national embarrassment which has lowered the estimation of Bayelsa State in the eyes of the international community. The CLO Secretary in the state, Comrade Morris Alagoa called for proper investigation on the role played by Sylva in the failed deal.
Alagoa said the failed deal confirms the incapability of Sylva to deliver on his promise of investment in the state.
Alagoa said though the President accepted to receive Sylva and his entourage in the interest of the nation, the involvement of the Bayelsa governor confirms his fear that there was more to the issue than meets the eyes.
“Somehow, I had some reservations but still gave the governor a benefit of doubt. But with the controversy triggered by the visit to Jonathan, it has confirmed my fears that we should not always take the governor’s pronouncement seriously. He told us in the state, two years ago, that the federal government has given the state license to import bulk cement. He said he would build a cement factory and that it will bring down cost of cement in the state, but we are yet to see that happen.
Labour Party (LP) chairman in the state, Bobo Atari-Adou and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Youth Leader, Comrade Miriki Ebikibina called for investigation to expose the role of the governor and the consultant in the controversy.. Ebikibina queried why the President was easily deceived into believing such claims when he has the structure to thoroughly probe the South Koreans and the deal. He said the failed deal was an indication that the ruling PDP was incapable of attracting foreign investors to the state and the country.
The presidency has denied complicity in the failed deal and the visit to Aso Rock. This position was communicated by Presidential Spokesman, Mr. Reuben Abati in a chat with state house correspondents.
Signs that the Bayelsa governor is under intense pressure showed at the Independence Day celebration in the state. Sylva’s speech at the event was laden with anger against the critics of his administration.
Sylva complained that his critics had seen nothing good in his administration and wondered why his government had been thoroughly disparaged for underperformance and insisted that the state had done better than others created alongside it.
He said: “Show me a state created same time with Bayelsa State that is doing better than our state”, he said acknowledging that the state was faced with many challenges. He named some of the challenges facing the state as poverty, unemployment and illiteracy. He however assured ‘‘we are determined to fight them”.
He said developing the state was not the sole responsibility of PDP and his government but collective efforts of people from the state. The governor, who was obviously angry, said democracy had offered ample opportunity for rancour-free development.
He said most of the projects he embarked upon will soon be commissioned adding that he had deepened democracy in the state; provided human capital development, security and stable electricity to the masses. He identified jetties, 500 low-cost housing for civil servants, health centers, permanent head quarters for the Ijaw National Council as projects he had executed in the state.
Although Sylva’s supporters have increased the tempo of campaigns in different parts of the State to convince doubting supporters of the ticket of the Party, both the governor and his opponents are anxiously waiting for Supreme Court verdict on the tenure of Silva and other three governors of Cross River, Sokoto and Adamawa States and Kogi State governorship candidate.
Political observers in the state have started drawing various permutations from pending scenarios on the possible removal of the governor if the Supreme Court judgment is delivered against the governors. If the verdict favours Silva, the governor’s camp claimed the primary would be a roller coaster for the incumbent. If the reverse is the case, Silva would leave his exalted office for the speaker Nestor Binabo to superintend the entire state and the PDP primary to elect the party’s standard bearer for the position of governor.
And with the disbandment of the dreaded Security outfit, Famou Tangbei by the IGP, analysts believe that Silva may have been imprisoned because the outfit was allegedly used by government to hack down the opposition.
This may further brighten the chances of Hon Henry Seriake Dickson, House of Representatives Committee on Special duties at the polls. Dickson who represents Sagbama/ Ekeremor Federal Constituency in the green chamber has been endorsed by the popular Green Movement, a virile political group in Bayelsa State to run for governor on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The group was also at the vanguard of Jonathan’s presidency! Before, the Green Movement endorsed Dickson, the lawmaker had been endorsed by over 80 elders of Bayelsa West Senatorial District in Yenogoa and Sagbama town respectively. The endorsement which took place separately in yenagoa, and Sagbama respectively was at the instance of elders of Ekeremor and Sagbama Federal Constituency which also doubles as Bayelsa West.
Chairman of Ekeremor Elders, Chief Asiyai Etifa chaired the Ekeremor elders meeting while his Sagbama counterpart, Hon Fineman Wilson superintended the Sagbama parley.
The elders said they were supporting Dickson because of his integrity, consistency of character, experience and track record of service to the people as a lawmaker, having represented them at the National Assembly creditably. They said Dickson has the capacity to develop the state, restore peace in the land and unite the people of the state. While praising Dickson for sponsoring various bills in the house, the elders said the lawmaker equally distinquished himself when he served as Justice Commissioner of Bayelsa State. They said they were throwing their weight behind the lawmaker because of all the people that have indicated interest in the coveted seat, Dickson’s candidature represents credible alternative to the status-quo. They also believe with Dickson in the Creek Haven, he would harness the human and material resources of the state and improve the lots of the ordinary Ijaw man. The elders urged Sylva not to seek re-election in 2012 because according to them, Sylva has plunged the state into spiral of violence. The elders also accused the current governor of failing to deliver on his promise to the people. While calling on Sylva and all PDP heavy weights in the state to support Dickson, the elders urged the PDP to adopt Dickson as a consensus candidate.
When contacted, Dickson thanked the elders for reposing confidence in him even as he said he would consult with all stakeholders in the state before responding to the clarion call. At press time, Dickson’s posters announcing his ambition to be governors are all over the state.
It will be recalled that Sylva has been having a running battle with the masses and some elites who have relentlessly accused him of under-developing the state and plunging it into crisis with his notorious security outfit, Famou Tangbei used to allegedly harass opposition in the state. Famou Tangbei in Ijaw means ‘‘sweep and throw away.’’ Now that the PDP has openly said there was no automatic ticket for incumbent governors, Silva’s ordeal may have redoubled!
If Silva loses the PDP ticket, he would go down in history as the first governor since 1999 to have lost his party’s ticket for a second term.
In Bayelsa State, the fear of Famou Tengbei used to be the beginning of wisdom until recently when it was disbanded by the Inspector General of Police, Hafiz Ringin. Translated in Ijaw,
Famou Tengbei means sweep and throw away. The dreaded outfit was reportedly used by the Bayelsa State governor, Chief Timipre Sylva to cage his opponents thereby creating uncertainty in the oil rich state. To compound the governor’s plight, Silva’s New Phase, a political group working for his return to the Creek Haven in 2012 is shaky. The group is arguably the most loathed group of politicians in Bayelsa State. Why? The governor is so unpopular in the state because majority of the people believe he has in the past four years impoverished the people. ‘‘The governor has put the state on motion with out movement. Chief DSP Alamiesiegha and Dr. Goodluck Jonathan tried to develop the state when they were governors, but all the Silva administration did was to plunder our resources,’’ Chief Power Soha, told LEADERSHIP.
The hatred is even worse among politicians based in Abuja. Loyalists of President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Dame Patience are no exceptions. They had remained silent on the re-election of Sylva as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2012 polls. That has now changed as they have turned 360 degree, working assiduously to truncate the return bid of the governor. Sylva’s critics insist that the current governor has not delivered on his promise to the electorate. They also accused him of disloyalty and disrespect to the office of the President. LEADERSHIP learnt that Sylva’s “unpardonable sins” was that he allegedly deceived Jonathan into believing that he had struck a deal with foreign investors to build a $7billion Hyundai shipyard in Bayelsa State. The excited president announced it to the whole world only to later realise that he was been fooled by Silva. But a source said Sylva came up with the ploy to create an impression before the president that he was working and deserving of a re-election in April 2011. But the election was postponed by the verdict of the Court of Appeal. Sylva was also said to have boasted in a telephone chat with a former Health Commissioner in the state, Dr. Azibabu Eruani that the president was too weak to stop his re-election in 2011. A Source claimed that the chat developed into hot argument between Sylva and his sacked commissioner who recorded the conversation unknown to the governor. Eruani allegedly played back the tape to the hearing of the President’s wife and the National Security Adviser, General Owei Azazi.
And the final straw that broke the camel’s back was Sylva’s alleged request that Jonathan should help influence the impending Supreme Court judgement in favour of the governors. The verdict is to be delivered soon on the tenure of Sylva and other governors whose states didn’t hold elections in April. The thinking of Sylva and colleagues is that the apex court should uphold the ruling of the appellate court so that there would remain in office to superintend the polls. This originally would spell doom for their opponents both at the primaries and general elections. Jonathan was so embarrassed by Sylva’s request and vowed to avoid him like a plaque.
Meanwhile, many Nigerians have been reacting to the Hyndai Shipyard scandal. The Civil Liberty Organization (CLO) described the Hyundai Heavy Industry Shipyard sham as a national embarrassment which has lowered the estimation of Bayelsa State in the eyes of the international community. The CLO Secretary in the state, Comrade Morris Alagoa called for proper investigation on the role played by Sylva in the failed deal.
Alagoa said the failed deal confirms the incapability of Sylva to deliver on his promise of investment in the state.
Alagoa said though the President accepted to receive Sylva and his entourage in the interest of the nation, the involvement of the Bayelsa governor confirms his fear that there was more to the issue than meets the eyes.
“Somehow, I had some reservations but still gave the governor a benefit of doubt. But with the controversy triggered by the visit to Jonathan, it has confirmed my fears that we should not always take the governor’s pronouncement seriously. He told us in the state, two years ago, that the federal government has given the state license to import bulk cement. He said he would build a cement factory and that it will bring down cost of cement in the state, but we are yet to see that happen.
Labour Party (LP) chairman in the state, Bobo Atari-Adou and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Youth Leader, Comrade Miriki Ebikibina called for investigation to expose the role of the governor and the consultant in the controversy.. Ebikibina queried why the President was easily deceived into believing such claims when he has the structure to thoroughly probe the South Koreans and the deal. He said the failed deal was an indication that the ruling PDP was incapable of attracting foreign investors to the state and the country.
The presidency has denied complicity in the failed deal and the visit to Aso Rock. This position was communicated by Presidential Spokesman, Mr. Reuben Abati in a chat with state house correspondents.
Signs that the Bayelsa governor is under intense pressure showed at the Independence Day celebration in the state. Sylva’s speech at the event was laden with anger against the critics of his administration.
Sylva complained that his critics had seen nothing good in his administration and wondered why his government had been thoroughly disparaged for underperformance and insisted that the state had done better than others created alongside it.
He said: “Show me a state created same time with Bayelsa State that is doing better than our state”, he said acknowledging that the state was faced with many challenges. He named some of the challenges facing the state as poverty, unemployment and illiteracy. He however assured ‘‘we are determined to fight them”.
He said developing the state was not the sole responsibility of PDP and his government but collective efforts of people from the state. The governor, who was obviously angry, said democracy had offered ample opportunity for rancour-free development.
He said most of the projects he embarked upon will soon be commissioned adding that he had deepened democracy in the state; provided human capital development, security and stable electricity to the masses. He identified jetties, 500 low-cost housing for civil servants, health centers, permanent head quarters for the Ijaw National Council as projects he had executed in the state.
Although Sylva’s supporters have increased the tempo of campaigns in different parts of the State to convince doubting supporters of the ticket of the Party, both the governor and his opponents are anxiously waiting for Supreme Court verdict on the tenure of Silva and other three governors of Cross River, Sokoto and Adamawa States and Kogi State governorship candidate.
Political observers in the state have started drawing various permutations from pending scenarios on the possible removal of the governor if the Supreme Court judgment is delivered against the governors. If the verdict favours Silva, the governor’s camp claimed the primary would be a roller coaster for the incumbent. If the reverse is the case, Silva would leave his exalted office for the speaker Nestor Binabo to superintend the entire state and the PDP primary to elect the party’s standard bearer for the position of governor.
And with the disbandment of the dreaded Security outfit, Famou Tangbei by the IGP, analysts believe that Silva may have been imprisoned because the outfit was allegedly used by government to hack down the opposition.
This may further brighten the chances of Hon Henry Seriake Dickson, House of Representatives Committee on Special duties at the polls. Dickson who represents Sagbama/ Ekeremor Federal Constituency in the green chamber has been endorsed by the popular Green Movement, a virile political group in Bayelsa State to run for governor on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The group was also at the vanguard of Jonathan’s presidency! Before, the Green Movement endorsed Dickson, the lawmaker had been endorsed by over 80 elders of Bayelsa West Senatorial District in Yenogoa and Sagbama town respectively. The endorsement which took place separately in yenagoa, and Sagbama respectively was at the instance of elders of Ekeremor and Sagbama Federal Constituency which also doubles as Bayelsa West.
Chairman of Ekeremor Elders, Chief Asiyai Etifa chaired the Ekeremor elders meeting while his Sagbama counterpart, Hon Fineman Wilson superintended the Sagbama parley.
The elders said they were supporting Dickson because of his integrity, consistency of character, experience and track record of service to the people as a lawmaker, having represented them at the National Assembly creditably. They said Dickson has the capacity to develop the state, restore peace in the land and unite the people of the state. While praising Dickson for sponsoring various bills in the house, the elders said the lawmaker equally distinquished himself when he served as Justice Commissioner of Bayelsa State. They said they were throwing their weight behind the lawmaker because of all the people that have indicated interest in the coveted seat, Dickson’s candidature represents credible alternative to the status-quo. They also believe with Dickson in the Creek Haven, he would harness the human and material resources of the state and improve the lots of the ordinary Ijaw man. The elders urged Sylva not to seek re-election in 2012 because according to them, Sylva has plunged the state into spiral of violence. The elders also accused the current governor of failing to deliver on his promise to the people. While calling on Sylva and all PDP heavy weights in the state to support Dickson, the elders urged the PDP to adopt Dickson as a consensus candidate.
When contacted, Dickson thanked the elders for reposing confidence in him even as he said he would consult with all stakeholders in the state before responding to the clarion call. At press time, Dickson’s posters announcing his ambition to be governors are all over the state.
It will be recalled that Sylva has been having a running battle with the masses and some elites who have relentlessly accused him of under-developing the state and plunging it into crisis with his notorious security outfit, Famou Tangbei used to allegedly harass opposition in the state. Famou Tangbei in Ijaw means ‘‘sweep and throw away.’’ Now that the PDP has openly said there was no automatic ticket for incumbent governors, Silva’s ordeal may have redoubled!
If Silva loses the PDP ticket, he would go down in history as the first governor since 1999 to have lost his party’s ticket for a second term.
Yenagoa-No fewer than 100 Councillors from Bayelsa State, traveling to Abuja for a seminar were, Sunday, reportedly arrested by security operatives.
The Councillors who were traveling in a convoy, were intercepted by a joint team of the Army, Police and State Security Services, SSS, close to Gwagwalada at about 2pm and detained until Monday morning.
It was gathered that the councillors were labelled former militants from Bayelsa State on a mission to breach the peace in Abuja.
The embattled Councillors were reportedly sent back to Yenagoa with military escort.
An SSS official, who spoke anonymously, said information reaching security operatives was that the councillors were former militants who were going to Abuja to disturb the peace.
Chairman of the Councilors Forum, Mr. Godswill Agaga, dismissed the claims, saying they were on their way to a three-day conference organized by NALCON, at the Millennium Hotel, Abuja, when security operatives swooped on them and detained them in the forest on the Lokoja-Abuja Road.
He said the Councillors, including some nursing mothers, had their vehicle keys seized by the security operatives who accused them of coming to Abuja to protest on behalf of Governor Timipre Sylva over the governorship ticket for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state.
The Councillors who were traveling in a convoy, were intercepted by a joint team of the Army, Police and State Security Services, SSS, close to Gwagwalada at about 2pm and detained until Monday morning.
It was gathered that the councillors were labelled former militants from Bayelsa State on a mission to breach the peace in Abuja.
The embattled Councillors were reportedly sent back to Yenagoa with military escort.
An SSS official, who spoke anonymously, said information reaching security operatives was that the councillors were former militants who were going to Abuja to disturb the peace.
Chairman of the Councilors Forum, Mr. Godswill Agaga, dismissed the claims, saying they were on their way to a three-day conference organized by NALCON, at the Millennium Hotel, Abuja, when security operatives swooped on them and detained them in the forest on the Lokoja-Abuja Road.
He said the Councillors, including some nursing mothers, had their vehicle keys seized by the security operatives who accused them of coming to Abuja to protest on behalf of Governor Timipre Sylva over the governorship ticket for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state.
THE battle for the gubernatorial ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa State in the 2012 governorship election took a bend, on Monday, following the adoption of a member of the House of Representatives, Honourable Seriake Dickson, by a group loyal to President Goodluck Jonathan, the Green Movement.
The movement, in a statement on Monday, said its decision was reached after a meeting attended by members of the group at the weekend.
The Green Movement had produced President Goodluck Jonathan as its gubernatorial candidate in 2006, before he emerged the running mate to the late President Umaru Yar’Adua.
In the statement endorsed by its principal officers, including Dr Tarila Tebepah, chairman; Bishop B.W. Deyi-Eremienyo, secretary and His Royal Highness A.J Turner, the treasurer, said it adopted Honourable Dickson because of his track record of loyalty and performance.
The movement stated in adopting Dickson, it was withdrawing support from Governor Timipre Sylva, the incumbent Bayelsa State governor, over alleged non-performance.
“The Green Movement, which emerged in Bayelsa in 2004, has become virtually the mainstream grouping within the Bayelsa PDP and was the vehicle for Sylva’s election in 2007 after Dr Goodluck Jonathan, its initial candidate for governor, stepped up as presidential running mate, but its members decided at a meeting that Sylva did not merit their continued support,” the statement read.
According to a communique issued by the movement after its meeting in Abuja, the decision to present Honourable Dickson for the governorship election in Bayelsa was based on “his track record of loyalty, consistency, capacity to execute the transformation agenda and to promote peace, harmony and development in the state.
“Dickson, a former attorney-general of Bayelsa State, is a second-term member of the House of Representatives, where he represents the Sagbama constituency. He has chaired the House Committee on Justice and now leads the Special Duties committee. All lovers of Bayelsa State should support this lofty project.”
The movement, in a statement on Monday, said its decision was reached after a meeting attended by members of the group at the weekend.
The Green Movement had produced President Goodluck Jonathan as its gubernatorial candidate in 2006, before he emerged the running mate to the late President Umaru Yar’Adua.
In the statement endorsed by its principal officers, including Dr Tarila Tebepah, chairman; Bishop B.W. Deyi-Eremienyo, secretary and His Royal Highness A.J Turner, the treasurer, said it adopted Honourable Dickson because of his track record of loyalty and performance.
The movement stated in adopting Dickson, it was withdrawing support from Governor Timipre Sylva, the incumbent Bayelsa State governor, over alleged non-performance.
“The Green Movement, which emerged in Bayelsa in 2004, has become virtually the mainstream grouping within the Bayelsa PDP and was the vehicle for Sylva’s election in 2007 after Dr Goodluck Jonathan, its initial candidate for governor, stepped up as presidential running mate, but its members decided at a meeting that Sylva did not merit their continued support,” the statement read.
According to a communique issued by the movement after its meeting in Abuja, the decision to present Honourable Dickson for the governorship election in Bayelsa was based on “his track record of loyalty, consistency, capacity to execute the transformation agenda and to promote peace, harmony and development in the state.
“Dickson, a former attorney-general of Bayelsa State, is a second-term member of the House of Representatives, where he represents the Sagbama constituency. He has chaired the House Committee on Justice and now leads the Special Duties committee. All lovers of Bayelsa State should support this lofty project.”
Friday, 6 May 2011
The Bayelsa State House of Assembly presided over by the speaker; Hon. Nestor Binabo last week passed a resolution by a two third majority to remove the chairman of Kolokuma/Opokuma local government council, Chief Ibikitin Diongoli from Office.
Hon. Ebamoghan Emperor, representing Sagbama constituency 3 who moved the motion against the embattled chairman said the House invoked the relevant sections of the Local Government law of 2006 to remove Diongoli.
The Lawmaker made it clear that the embattled council chairman stays outside the council headquarters and engaged in borrowing money from the banks without due authorization.
Already, the former vice chairman of the local government council chief Ebierein Itubo has been sworn-in as the new chairman of Kolga by Governor Timipre Sylva at the executive chambers.
But there are reports that the lawmakers passed the resolution to sack the embattled council chairman following his alleged roles during the recent National and State Assembly elections which the PDP considered embarrassing.
Ebikitin Diongoli was said to have worked against the interest of the ruling People’s Democratic Party which brought him to power considering the fact that the party lost Kolga constituency I to the Opposition party.
During the PDP primaries in January, the embattled chairman led indigenes of the local government area to protest the outcome of the National and State House of Assembly primaries which produced Warman Ogoriba and Hon.Fini Angaye.
Hon. Warman Ogoriba is the current member of the House of Representatives for Yenagoa/Kolokuma/Opokuma federal constituency who has secured a fresh mandate while Angaye is the deputy speaker the state legislature who has also secured a fresh mandate.
Hon. Ebamoghan Emperor, representing Sagbama constituency 3 who moved the motion against the embattled chairman said the House invoked the relevant sections of the Local Government law of 2006 to remove Diongoli.
The Lawmaker made it clear that the embattled council chairman stays outside the council headquarters and engaged in borrowing money from the banks without due authorization.
Already, the former vice chairman of the local government council chief Ebierein Itubo has been sworn-in as the new chairman of Kolga by Governor Timipre Sylva at the executive chambers.
But there are reports that the lawmakers passed the resolution to sack the embattled council chairman following his alleged roles during the recent National and State Assembly elections which the PDP considered embarrassing.
Ebikitin Diongoli was said to have worked against the interest of the ruling People’s Democratic Party which brought him to power considering the fact that the party lost Kolga constituency I to the Opposition party.
During the PDP primaries in January, the embattled chairman led indigenes of the local government area to protest the outcome of the National and State House of Assembly primaries which produced Warman Ogoriba and Hon.Fini Angaye.
Hon. Warman Ogoriba is the current member of the House of Representatives for Yenagoa/Kolokuma/Opokuma federal constituency who has secured a fresh mandate while Angaye is the deputy speaker the state legislature who has also secured a fresh mandate.
Friday, 29 April 2011
The Bayelsa chapters of the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP) and the Labour Party(LP) have demanded for the cancellation of Tuesday’s rescheduled Bayelsa Central Senatorial District election over allegations of wide-spread irregularities and intimidation by security agents.
In two separate protest letters which were submitted to the state INEC REC, Engr. Edwin Nwatarali Wednesday in Yenagoa and copies made available to the newsmen, the two parties alleged that election results from the various polling units were not counter signed by its polling agents and coordinators.
The ANPP Protest letter, which was signed by the party’s state chairman, Mr. Ayebide Fatiede and National Vice-Chairman, South South, Chief Livinus Opuakpa, the ANPP also alleged that security agents chased away polling agents from voting centres in Igbomotoru, Southern Ijaw Ward 6, when electoral materials arrived.
The letter reads in part: “Our investigation revealed that PDP masterminded and manipulated the elections and there were no free, fair and credible elections, hence our Agents refused to counter-sign the election as a protest and demand for cancellation of the entire elections”.
The Party faulted the alleged movement of result sheets from Southern Ijaw LGA to the INEC headquarters, arguing that going by INEC regulations, the results ought to be taken the LGA collation centre at the Yenagoa Council Hall for onward announcement.
“Results from Southern Ijaw council were taken to INEC headquarters, hidden there all this while instead of the collation centre contrary to INEC guidelines, and only later came out with a cooked version of all the results and taken to the collation centre”, the party posited.
The ANPP added that “in view of the obvious circumstances, we demand that the results of the senatorial elections of the Bayelsa Central Senatorial District concluded on the 26th of April 2011 be cancelled and a rerun election ordered without delay for the sake of justice and fairness”.
our correspondent however reports that INEC in the state had gone ahead to announce the result, where incumbent Emmanuel Paulker of the PDP was return as winner, polling a total of 106,279 votes to beat his closest rival, Chief Gospel Kpokpowei of the Labour Party.
The result which was announced at about 5.20pm by the INEC Returning Officer for the Bayelsa Central District, Dr. Bina Odogu, saw Chief Rufus Abadi of the ACN trailing third with 5,116, while Chief Pere Ajuwa of the ANPP came a distance fourth with 3,516 votes.
But INEC declaration of the result was greeted by protests by both the ANPP and the LP, as both parties objected to the autenticity of the of the results announced by the electoral commission. Collation Agents of the two parties at the collation centre refused to sign the final result before it was announced by the INEC Returning Officer.
Chief Paul Frank-Oputu and Chief Stanley Suobo, Collation Agents for the ANPP and Labour Parties respectively told newsmen that they cannot signed the results because INEC had erred by going ahead to announce the result without recourse to the petitions to the commission from the parties.
“Results from Southern Ijaw council area were cooked up before being presented to us here. Why should results be taken to INEC office before coming to the original collation centres? We are not ignorant of the laid down rules. We are rejecting this result, because our petition is on their table”, Suobo said.
While Frank-Oputu described the result announced by INEC as “a fraudulent result”, as according to him, “what INEC is presenting to us is not a reflection of the peoples’ vote. This is not a true reflection of the actual votes at the various polling units. We will continue to reject it till our petition is treated and justice prevailed”.
In his response, National Vice-chairman of the ANPP, South South, Chief Livinus Opuakpa noted that “By going ahead to announce the result of the Bayelsa Central Senatorial District, INEC had gone contrary to its electoral guidelines”.
“We submitted a petition to the commission at about 1.pm, and now they are going ahead to announce the result of an election that a petition has been deposed already. This is wrong; we will pursue this injustice to the end”.
“It is very wrong because the INEC guidelines stated that when a petition is received, the commission should not announce the result, pending investigations into the allegations contained in the petition. This is our argument”, Opuakpa stated.
When contacted, the Bayelsa INEC Public Affairs Officer, Mrs. Priscilla Imoudu-Sule, confirmed that the commission had received the result of the elections into the Bayelsa Central Senatorial District, after it had been announced by the Returning Officer.
On the petitions of the two opposition parties, the ANPP and the LP, Imoudu –Sule stated that for any petition submitted to INEC in relation to an election, the commission would investigate the allegations contained and review the entire election process.
She however declined to comment on the argument of the opposition parties that INEC erred by going ahead to announce the result, without recourse to the petitions on its table.
In two separate protest letters which were submitted to the state INEC REC, Engr. Edwin Nwatarali Wednesday in Yenagoa and copies made available to the newsmen, the two parties alleged that election results from the various polling units were not counter signed by its polling agents and coordinators.
The ANPP Protest letter, which was signed by the party’s state chairman, Mr. Ayebide Fatiede and National Vice-Chairman, South South, Chief Livinus Opuakpa, the ANPP also alleged that security agents chased away polling agents from voting centres in Igbomotoru, Southern Ijaw Ward 6, when electoral materials arrived.
The letter reads in part: “Our investigation revealed that PDP masterminded and manipulated the elections and there were no free, fair and credible elections, hence our Agents refused to counter-sign the election as a protest and demand for cancellation of the entire elections”.
The Party faulted the alleged movement of result sheets from Southern Ijaw LGA to the INEC headquarters, arguing that going by INEC regulations, the results ought to be taken the LGA collation centre at the Yenagoa Council Hall for onward announcement.
“Results from Southern Ijaw council were taken to INEC headquarters, hidden there all this while instead of the collation centre contrary to INEC guidelines, and only later came out with a cooked version of all the results and taken to the collation centre”, the party posited.
The ANPP added that “in view of the obvious circumstances, we demand that the results of the senatorial elections of the Bayelsa Central Senatorial District concluded on the 26th of April 2011 be cancelled and a rerun election ordered without delay for the sake of justice and fairness”.
our correspondent however reports that INEC in the state had gone ahead to announce the result, where incumbent Emmanuel Paulker of the PDP was return as winner, polling a total of 106,279 votes to beat his closest rival, Chief Gospel Kpokpowei of the Labour Party.
The result which was announced at about 5.20pm by the INEC Returning Officer for the Bayelsa Central District, Dr. Bina Odogu, saw Chief Rufus Abadi of the ACN trailing third with 5,116, while Chief Pere Ajuwa of the ANPP came a distance fourth with 3,516 votes.
But INEC declaration of the result was greeted by protests by both the ANPP and the LP, as both parties objected to the autenticity of the of the results announced by the electoral commission. Collation Agents of the two parties at the collation centre refused to sign the final result before it was announced by the INEC Returning Officer.
Chief Paul Frank-Oputu and Chief Stanley Suobo, Collation Agents for the ANPP and Labour Parties respectively told newsmen that they cannot signed the results because INEC had erred by going ahead to announce the result without recourse to the petitions to the commission from the parties.
“Results from Southern Ijaw council area were cooked up before being presented to us here. Why should results be taken to INEC office before coming to the original collation centres? We are not ignorant of the laid down rules. We are rejecting this result, because our petition is on their table”, Suobo said.
While Frank-Oputu described the result announced by INEC as “a fraudulent result”, as according to him, “what INEC is presenting to us is not a reflection of the peoples’ vote. This is not a true reflection of the actual votes at the various polling units. We will continue to reject it till our petition is treated and justice prevailed”.
In his response, National Vice-chairman of the ANPP, South South, Chief Livinus Opuakpa noted that “By going ahead to announce the result of the Bayelsa Central Senatorial District, INEC had gone contrary to its electoral guidelines”.
“We submitted a petition to the commission at about 1.pm, and now they are going ahead to announce the result of an election that a petition has been deposed already. This is wrong; we will pursue this injustice to the end”.
“It is very wrong because the INEC guidelines stated that when a petition is received, the commission should not announce the result, pending investigations into the allegations contained in the petition. This is our argument”, Opuakpa stated.
When contacted, the Bayelsa INEC Public Affairs Officer, Mrs. Priscilla Imoudu-Sule, confirmed that the commission had received the result of the elections into the Bayelsa Central Senatorial District, after it had been announced by the Returning Officer.
On the petitions of the two opposition parties, the ANPP and the LP, Imoudu –Sule stated that for any petition submitted to INEC in relation to an election, the commission would investigate the allegations contained and review the entire election process.
She however declined to comment on the argument of the opposition parties that INEC erred by going ahead to announce the result, without recourse to the petitions on its table.
An aide to the Bayelsa state House of Assembly speaker, Mr. Goodluck Obodo Osita, was yesterday arrested for allegedly possessing electoral materials during the exercise in the state, just as Twenty four others were arrested by the state police command including six mobile police.
Obodo who was apprehended by other opposition party supporters in the area, confessed been sent by the speaker of the Bayelsa state house of Assembly, Hon. Nestor Binabo representing Sagbama constituency 2.
The speaker was also accused of intimidating the whole community with over five hundred armed youths at all polling unit with the connivance of security agents and induced youth corpers.
The victim who was detained by the men of the state security service (SSS) with ballot box, corpers uniform, bank cheque and other electoral materials disclosed that he was working under the instructions of the speaker to carry out electoral fraud, adding that the corpers whose uniform and identity was with him had absconded.
The Bayelsa state Commissioner of police, Mr. Adeshina Shinaba confirmed the arrest and stated that those arrested will be prosecuted for their involvement in the electoral fraud.
One of the incidents that happened at the metropolis, Opolo area, unit 04, Epie 2 ward 5, the unit of a sitting senator representing the central district in the state, Senator Emmanuel Pauker, showed the kind of politics in the state by the ruling party that constitutes more fraud than a revolution in the state.
Pauker was allegedly accused of inducing the corpers at the unit and others at the Biogolo unit 16 and 17 under the same ward, the security agent in charge, inspector W.A Ukwenya and electorate in the area, meanwhile his supporters almost clamp down on BOF’s correspondent who was a camera at the scene.
The Twenty four House of Assembly constituency elections and the re-scheduled Bayelsa central senatorial district elections in the state yesterday was reportedly marred with irregularities, just as youths and other aggrieved parties faithful in the state condemned the just concluded exercise.
A group of aggrieved youth numbering over two hundred carrying placards protesting in the state from their constituency in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local government area of the state with the Labour Party T-shirt trouped the state INEC office in Yenagoa.
The aggrieved group was led by the candidate vying to represent Kolokuma/Opokuma constituency 1 under the Labour Party, Hon. Tonye Isenah Emmanuel, stated that despite the glamour by Nigerians to witness a credible election in the country some disgruntled elements in the ruling party of state has resolved to be involved in malpractice.
Isenah mentioned that the returning officer of the ward was attacked by members of the People’s Democratic party supporters when they perceived that they had almost lost the constituency seat to his favour, adding that higher stalwarts of the party are putting pressure on INEC to disapprove his victory and announce the result inconclusive.
According to the gubernatorial candidate of the Labour party in the state, Mr. Ndutimi Alaibe, who expressed dissatisfaction over mass irregularities in the electoral process of the state, when he casted his vote at about 12.38pm at unit 14 of the Kolokuma/Opokuma ward 7, maintained that Bayelsans should note that those primitive times of electoral fraud, stuffing and hijacking of ballot boxes are outdated.
He admonished Bayelsans to join the rest of the world to do the right thing, adding that times when electoral ballot papers are hijacked and materials destroyed by desperate politicians are past rather electorate should be allowed to vote in their leaders sincerely and transparently.
On the issue of re-schedule senatorial election, he stated that “ the fundamental issue was that there was fraud, people were alleged to have carried ballot box to their home to stuff in thumb print ballot papers, that’s aberration and it shouldn’t happened, its an enactment of negative issue and we ensure that INEC is up to the task to maintain a hitch free process.
The facts that most local communities are not easily accessed does not give any body the privilege to seize the franchise of the people to his own domain and if they try it again we will announce it, we still that commissioners in that area are still carrying out the same act which shows no respect for Mr. President’s one man one vote mantra.
Obodo who was apprehended by other opposition party supporters in the area, confessed been sent by the speaker of the Bayelsa state house of Assembly, Hon. Nestor Binabo representing Sagbama constituency 2.
The speaker was also accused of intimidating the whole community with over five hundred armed youths at all polling unit with the connivance of security agents and induced youth corpers.
The victim who was detained by the men of the state security service (SSS) with ballot box, corpers uniform, bank cheque and other electoral materials disclosed that he was working under the instructions of the speaker to carry out electoral fraud, adding that the corpers whose uniform and identity was with him had absconded.
The Bayelsa state Commissioner of police, Mr. Adeshina Shinaba confirmed the arrest and stated that those arrested will be prosecuted for their involvement in the electoral fraud.
One of the incidents that happened at the metropolis, Opolo area, unit 04, Epie 2 ward 5, the unit of a sitting senator representing the central district in the state, Senator Emmanuel Pauker, showed the kind of politics in the state by the ruling party that constitutes more fraud than a revolution in the state.
Pauker was allegedly accused of inducing the corpers at the unit and others at the Biogolo unit 16 and 17 under the same ward, the security agent in charge, inspector W.A Ukwenya and electorate in the area, meanwhile his supporters almost clamp down on BOF’s correspondent who was a camera at the scene.
The Twenty four House of Assembly constituency elections and the re-scheduled Bayelsa central senatorial district elections in the state yesterday was reportedly marred with irregularities, just as youths and other aggrieved parties faithful in the state condemned the just concluded exercise.
A group of aggrieved youth numbering over two hundred carrying placards protesting in the state from their constituency in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local government area of the state with the Labour Party T-shirt trouped the state INEC office in Yenagoa.
The aggrieved group was led by the candidate vying to represent Kolokuma/Opokuma constituency 1 under the Labour Party, Hon. Tonye Isenah Emmanuel, stated that despite the glamour by Nigerians to witness a credible election in the country some disgruntled elements in the ruling party of state has resolved to be involved in malpractice.
Isenah mentioned that the returning officer of the ward was attacked by members of the People’s Democratic party supporters when they perceived that they had almost lost the constituency seat to his favour, adding that higher stalwarts of the party are putting pressure on INEC to disapprove his victory and announce the result inconclusive.
According to the gubernatorial candidate of the Labour party in the state, Mr. Ndutimi Alaibe, who expressed dissatisfaction over mass irregularities in the electoral process of the state, when he casted his vote at about 12.38pm at unit 14 of the Kolokuma/Opokuma ward 7, maintained that Bayelsans should note that those primitive times of electoral fraud, stuffing and hijacking of ballot boxes are outdated.
He admonished Bayelsans to join the rest of the world to do the right thing, adding that times when electoral ballot papers are hijacked and materials destroyed by desperate politicians are past rather electorate should be allowed to vote in their leaders sincerely and transparently.
On the issue of re-schedule senatorial election, he stated that “ the fundamental issue was that there was fraud, people were alleged to have carried ballot box to their home to stuff in thumb print ballot papers, that’s aberration and it shouldn’t happened, its an enactment of negative issue and we ensure that INEC is up to the task to maintain a hitch free process.
The facts that most local communities are not easily accessed does not give any body the privilege to seize the franchise of the people to his own domain and if they try it again we will announce it, we still that commissioners in that area are still carrying out the same act which shows no respect for Mr. President’s one man one vote mantra.
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