…As over 5 houses were burnt
From: Christopher Uche, Yenagoa
The political tension in Bayelsa State has claimed its first victim, Mr. Andrew June, who died as a result of machete cuts injury sustained when suspected PDP and APC supporters clashed last Thursday at Oweigbene community in Ekeremor Local Government Area.
Trouble started, according to community sources, when some youths suspected to be APC members started destroying Governor Dickson’s bill boards and banners in the area, but were stopped by PDP supporters which eventually led into free for all fight among the youths.
However, two youths including the deceased Andrew June who is said to be an APC supporter were seriously injured, and were taken to a hospital in neighboring Delta state for treatment.
After the treatment, the doctor was said to have asked the deceased to stay back in the hospital for further treatment, but he insisted and left the hospital only to be rushed back to the same hospital the following day when the situation became worse, where he later died.
To this extent, the youths of both APC and PDP supporters went on rampage and started burning houses and destroying properties in the community. Over five houses is said to have been burnt by the youths.
But a statement by the Director, Media and Publicity of Sylva/Igiri Campaign Organization, Chief Nathan Egba accused the PDP of being the mastermind of the violent clash, saying the PDP thugs went on rampage against the supporters of the APC and also attacked the deceased.
He said Mr. Andrew June, an APC stalwart in Oweigbene community was murdered by a mob of PDP supporters alleged to have been sponsored by a PDP chieftain in the area.
Chief Egba added that the deceased, Mr. June and several APC supporters who sustained various degrees of injuries as a result of the attack were ambushed at Toru-gbene community en route to Oweigbene after the APC rally in Ekeremor town, Ekeremor Local Government Area on Wednesday, 18th November, 2015.
“The deceased and other APC supporters sustained injuries from matchette cut and were rushed to Ojobo General Hospital in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State, where Mr. June later died.The injured APC members are still receiving treatment in different hospitals in the area while the remains of the deceased have been deposited in a mortuary at Oporo”, he stated.
He further stated that the attack continued later in the evening of Thursday, 19th November till the morning of Friday, November, 20th, 2015 as PDP supporters kept shooting sporadically to intimidate and scare APC supporters.
The Director, Media and Publicity of the Sylva-Igiri Campaign Organisation, Chief Nathan Egba, also called on Governor Seriake Dickson to respect the peace accord he signed by calling his supporters to order, saying Bayelsans could now confirm the party and candidate that is violent and desperate to use force in a bid to win the election at all cost.
However, the Restoration campaign organization of the PDP was yet to issue statement or give their own side of the story as at the time of filing this
Meanwhile, the Bayelsa Restoration Campaign Organisation denied any complicity in the alleged attack on members of the AllProgresives Congress (APC) members in Oweigbenecommunity in Ekeremor Local Government Area of the state which the party said led to death.
In a statement by the Director of Publicity of the organization, Jonathan Obuebite, the PDP said it was unimaginable that its members would be accused of violence much more a murder incident as claimed by the APC which it claimed was a case of“wicked act”.
Obuebite said in the statement that PDP in Bayelsa State is a peace loving party with genuine members and supporters who have over time demonstrated this character and as such it is preposterous for the APC to have claimed that its members attacked or killed any individual.
“It is not in our character to be violent in all our activities. We are known for peace and decency in our campaign of issues and unrelenting crusade for a peaceful, free, fair and credible election”, he stated.
“It is clear by this wicked accusation that Sylva is trying to robe Governor Seriake Dickson in the same garment of a blood thirsty killer that he is known for. As governor for five years, he engaged in state sponsored terrorism directed at innocentBayelsans and mostly at political opponents. Many Bayelsansfled into exile in neighbouring states and far-flung places.
“That the leopard cannot change its spot was amply demonstrated by his distasteful behavior and that of his allies in what passed for his party’s primary to elect its governorship candidate but left a bitter pill in the mouth of everybody as a national embarrassment. Through violence, intimidation and blackmail, Sylva held the party’s officials for the conduct of the primaries to ransom until they finally succumbed. Among those who got the Sylva’s notorious brigandage was Edo State governor Adams Oshiomhole”, he stated.
Obuebite said it was the stock in trade of APC to rush to the media to allege that PDP attacked its members which he said the reverse was the case, stating APC has actually been perpetrating violence against members of the PDP and the incidents were reported to the state commissioner of police.
“As I speak with you, the matter is before the police. There are witnesses on ground in Ekeremor who can confirm that APC thugs were the ones who went about destroying all PDP flags and attacking houses belonging to PDP stalwarts. These are the same hired thugs who attend all APC campaigns purporting to be APC members and you see them at every location which is obvious that they are not APC members but assigned some special roles.
“The PDP in Bayelsa is a peaceful party. Our supporters are genuine who are in their respective local governments as we meet them to sell our restoration messages for continuity. They are not the hired crowd one can easily notice in the APC mostly young men, thugs and miscreants.”
