PDP, APC Trade Blame over Attack in Bayelsa

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State yesterday traded words over last week’s attack on the APC secretariat in Yenagoa in which two persons died.

In a statement signed by the state Bayelsa PDP Chairman, Cleopas Moses, and Publicity Secretary, Osom Macbere, the party stated that violence had always characterised APC activities in the state, noting that the party remains an embarrassment to the Bayelsa people and a threat to grassroots democracy.

Moses expressed concern over the repeated cases of violence which have resulted in loss of innocent lives and destruction of properties in the state, noting that the violence perpetrated during the incident was unacceptable.

“That extreme violence has become a recurring decimal in almost all activities in the state viz-a-viz APC 2015 gubernatorial primaries, 2017 non-elective congress and the attempted inauguration of their acting chairman on the August 18, 2017 all of which have resulted in bloodletting.

“I want to remind every Bayelsan of this same characters for their unrepentant, predominately evil nature even as it played out in the last Bayelsa State gubernatorial election where innocent people were killed in Southern Ijaw, Ekeremor and Brass local government areas,” Moses said.

But the APC in a statement signed by the state acting party Chairman, Joseph Fafi, argued that the attack was sponsored with the obvious intentions to distract the inauguration of the new party structure of the party.

“Though, in the end, two party members lost their lives, it goes without saying that politics should be devoid of bitterness, rancour and acrimony. Those who sponsored these hoodlums to take lives and destroy properties are themselves equally culpable of these dastardly and nefarious acts.

“Bayelsa indigenes at all levels are enjoined to be vigilant while security agents and law enforcement agencies are to equally step up their acts towards the arrest, prosecution and the protection of lives and properties in the state.

“The newly inaugurated acting chairman and the exco members are determined to give Bayelsa people and all those living and doing business in Bayelsa a lease of life. This is a new dawn. It is no longer business as usual. The old, corrupt and mundane order must give way because change has come to stay,” Moses said.

A clash between two factions of the party in Yenagoa had last week led to the shooting of two persons during a gun duel with one faction loyal to ex-Governor Timipre Sylva and the other to Tiwei Orunimighe, contending for the ownership of the secretariat.