Tears As Bayelsa Buries Victims Killed By Soldiers During Election Violence

The Bayelsa State Government on Friday buried the late Government House photographer, Reginald Dei and Ward Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Seidougha Taribi, who were reportedly killed by soldiers during the last elections in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state.

A statement by the Special Adviser, Media Relations, Fidelis Soriwei, quoted Governor Seriake Dickson as saying that the victims were interred in Yenagoa, the state capital.

Speaking during a meeting with political appointees in Yenagoa, Dickson accused the leadership of the nation’s security agencies of deliberately shielding the perpetrators of the heinous acts.

He said that the masterminds of the violence and killings during the election were being protected from arrest and prosecution.

He said: “These two young men were cut down in their prime for no reason. The criminals responsible for this heinous crime are being guarded by security agencies. It is indeed another sad reminder of the things the Federal Government do to us as a state.”

Dickson described the gruesome killings as acts of terrorism against the state adding that Dei and Taribi were not near any polling unit when soldiers were led to kill them in their residence in Oweikorogha, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area òf the state.

The governor condemned the use of the country’s Armed Forces and security agencies for brazen acts of murder and terrorism against innocent citizens.

Dickson also berated the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and its Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state for colluding with the opposition to subvert the will of the people.

He pointed out that despite the sacking of Bassambiri in Nembe LGA, and failure to use card readers during the election, INEC went ahead to accept fake results to foist a Senator and House òf Representatives on the people.

He said: “You can see that in most of the states where the RECs were firm, INEC said no, let the result come from the field; even with the big names and money, they were firm.

“But here in Bayelsa, a community like Bassambiri in Nembe LGA was sacked and the next day, after 24 hours of shooting, they just drove election materials straight to their location and INEC went on to announce what it got. Card readers were not used and yet some persons are parading themselves as winners.”

The governor charged party faithful to expect more intimidation and harassment from the APC ahead of the gubernatorial election in the state”

“The APC’s plan for the governorship election is more than what we saw in the last election because the next one is an isolated election. They are planning to do ten times even more and that is why you must be steadfast and calm”, he said.

He said that the state PDP Chairman, Mr. Moses Cleopas, would soon set up a committee to examine the party’s results in the last election in the various units, wards and communities.

He said stakeholders and party leaders of the would appear before the committee to give account of their stewardship.