…As Sylva/ Diri Accuse Each Other Of Planning Violence
Ahead of Saturday’s Bayelsa State Governoship Election, the governorship candidates and their political parties have signed a peace accord promising not to ferment trouble during the election.
That was as the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Douye Diri and Chief Timipre Sylva of the All Progressives Congress (APC), kept on rolling a series of accusing words at each other.
The peace accord which was coordinated by the National Peace Committee was chaired by the former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (Rtd), saw Diri of PDP, and Sylva of APC among other candidates signing the accord.
But surprisingly after signing the peace accord, Diri and Sylva while speaking with journalists began the allegation of violence even after embracing each other at the hall.
On his part, Governor Diri told journalists that the signing of the peace accord would be ineffectual because according to him, Sylva lied about violence and arms stockpiling in his Kolokuma/Opokuma local government.
Diri said “Sylva has accused me, (Douye Diri) of stockpiling arms in Kolokuma/Opokuma LGA. That should be the fastest lie of the year and that shows that this peace accord is going to be ineffectual, because if a man chooses to be telling lies even in the face of this peace accord, then something is wrong.
“I was embarrassed when I got that information and everybody knows in this state, those who are giving to violence and the flash red points, Kolokuma/Opokuma LGA has never been a flash point. I think the candidate of APC, Chief Timipre Sylva may have stockpiled arms in Kolokuma/Opokuma and I call on security agencies to immediately move into action to see if Timipre Sylva is bringing the devilish action he has been taking in Nembe where he has disallowed the people of the area to participate in the democratic electoral peaceful processes and we in Kolokuma/Opokuma will never accept that from him.
“I am one person that all of you will attest that the peace in this state is because the body language of the governor is peaceful, the body language of the governor is security, and so the issue and question of my commitment does not arise here. I’m fully committed to peace.
On his part, the APC candidate and former Governor of the state, Chief Timipre Sylva, said that there has been a lot of violence orchestrated by PDP in Kolokuma/Opokuma LGA, expressing hope the peace accord will make the key actors in the election stand back and work for peace.
“APC today has come to demonstrate that we are committed to peace in Bayelsa State but we are not comfortable with the disposition of our opponent. There has been a lot of violence orchestrated by the PDP in Kolokuma/Opokuma LGA but I’m hoping that the peace accord will make all of us stand back and ensure there is peace in this election.
“This is a very significant ceremony, and for us in APC, we are very happy that this is happening, because we always stood for peace and we hope that other parties will obey and abide by the peace accord, have signed it.
“We believe it will at least change everybody not to do what they are planning to do because we heard all the plans, we heard thugs imported from other states.
Meanwhile, speaking during the signing of the peace accord ceremony, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (Rtd), urged Bayelsa to vote for peace and togetherness come Saturday.
Abubakar who was represented by the Bishop of Sokoto Diocese of the Catholic Church and Secretary of the Committee, Bishop Matthew Kukah, the former Head of States advised the contestants not to see the signing of the peace accord as a mere formality.
