…says Dickson not behind Niger Delta Avengers
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa State on Thursday reacted to the accusation by the All Progressives Congress (APC) linking governor Henry Seriake Dickson with the sponsorship of the new militant group, the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), describing it as laughable.
The party regretted that instead of forging the unity of APC, the party and its governorship candidate in the last election, Timipre Sylva, they have resorted to playing politics with the issue of salary payment.
The Bayelsa State chairman of PDP, Moses Cleopas in a statement said, the antecedents of the APC with a dislocated leadership, it was not a surprise that the factional leaders couldn’t bring peace to the party.
He said, “Chief Timipre Sylva should go and ask God for forgiveness. The Bayelsa APC has a history of violence. As factional leader of APC, his group perpetrated sundry extra-judicial killings using the instrument of State power. His defunct administration was a short-hand for death. Bayelsans are still trying to heal the wounds inflicted by Sylva’s killer outfit code-named Operation Famou Tangbei. We urge them to ask for mercy from God for all the atrocities they have perpetrated against the same people they wanted to govern.
“Since Sylva lost out in the governorship elections, even amidst the use of maximum violence, crimes such as sea piracy, vandalization of oil facilities, kidnapping and killing have become rampant. The PDP-led government in the state has responded appropriately by intensifying its security apparatus such that even at the village level, clan heads and paramount rulers have been required to set up vigilante groups to fight the orgy of violence perpetrated by the mal-contented APC thugs who are working hard to diminish the achievements of government. The APC cannot lose popular elections in Bayelsa State and use her thugs and criminals to blackmail the State.”
Describing both allegations by the APC as spurious and another lie from the pit of hell, Cleopas stressed that it was a fresh move aimed at blackmailing Dickson and pitch him against workers in the state and the Federal Government.
He however stated that the move will fail just like previous attempts to rubbish the governor through unsubstantiated claims and advised the Chief Timipre Sylva led faction of the APC to focus on other things.
Cleopas said Sylva and his party were jaundiced because of the repeated failure on their part to reclaim Bayelsa and bring it back to the days of brigandage.
“Since the economic downturn, so many States are owing civil servants. Some States were given so much bailout money, yet they are still downsizing and paying workers based on what the State can carry. Even the Federal Government is taking loans most of the time to pay workers. Today, workers in most States have embarked on strike”, he emphasised.
The PDP chairman explained that the issue of delay in salary payment was not peculiar to Bayelsa as most states, especially APC states are the worse hits.
He said, “In Bayelsa State, government has decided on an agreeable modus operandi to pay workers. It started with verification to ascertain the authentic number of workers. Workers at the Local Councils have started receiving their salaries. The NLC and TUC are discussing with government. It is just a faction of NLC and TUC that has not agreed on the payment formula and as soon as this is agreed upon, payment of salaries will commence.
“Let it be on record that the salaries of political appointees have also been slashed by 30 per cent. The civil servants remain the top priority of government. In terms of salary arears, Bayelsa State is not alone, so many States and even the Federal Government is in salary arrears. This makes nonsense of the imaginary correlation APC is trying to draw between salary and crime.”
Cleopas debunked the assertion that billions of Naira have coming into the state monthly from the federation account, adding that it is only a mischievous person like Sylva and the APC that can dish out such falsehood.
“For several months, we have not received anything more than three billion naira in fact it is public knowledge that what we got last was one point six billion naira and every month there is a drop in what is accruing to the state so it beats our imagination why the APC will fabricate such story all because of politics”, he stressed.
According to him, the restoration government would not have been deep in the current economic crisis if Sylva had not plunged the state into huge debt by engaging in reckless borrowing which the government is still paying till date, especially the bond.
“Timipre Sylva left the state in huge debt and that is a fact and month after month we have been repaying that debt so it is sickening for the same man to postulate such gibberish through his party”, PDP said.
The PDP state helmsman recalled that up until the economic crisis became so bad the present government never owed workers and was always placing their welfare as a top priority and expressed optimism that the good days will come back.
Speaking on the alleged sponsorship of the Niger Delta Avengers, Cleopas challenged the APC to come forward with any proof but until then let it remain as a figment of their own imagination.
He wondered why Dickson who is the chief security officer of a state would condescend to such a low level by given backing to a group that is clearly putting the nation in more economic woes.
Cleopas said, “The APC leadership should be held responsible for the atrocities perpetrated in Bayelsa State. We had earlier stated this position. What the APC should do at this time is to tell her thugs-used for the governorship elections and other miscreants to cooperate with government to entrench civility, peace and security and stop threatening the Restoration Administration with the use of Federal might. Bayelsa APC was roundly rejected because of the criminal elements in the Party and the ordinary people know where to point accusing fingers at when it comes to cultism, crime and criminality.
“Dickson had presided over series of meetings this week that was attended by multi-nationals, security chiefs, traditional rulers and other stakeholders where he openly condemned renewed attacks on oil facilities and security personnel and ask if the APC or its leader have issued any statement doing same, well it is not a surprise to us as their desire is obviously geared towards diverting the attention of security agencies to their direction as sponsors of these heinous crimes.
“The allegation is the height of mischief, we want Bayelsans and the federal government to ignore such blatant lie. Governor Dickson does not have any business with any militant group. He remains committed to his mandate given to him by the people. The APC is seeking unnecessary public sympathy, and cheap attention.”
