By Nwaorgu Faustinus
The Bayelsa State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) says the attention of H.E. Chief Timipre Sylva, leader of the party, has been drawn to a statement issued Saturday by one “Barrister Seighfa Tonye-Brown” on behalf of the “Ijaw Young Professionals in Bayelsa State”.
In the statement, the non-existent Tonye-Brown and his faceless group made wild, unsubstantiated and irresponsible accusations against the APC and Sylva concerning Thursday’s killing of four soldiers and a mobile policeman in Nembe by unknown gunmen.
In a statement signed and made available to NF-Reports by Doifie Buokoribo, Media Adviser to Chief Timipre Sylva said: “Sylva wishes to state categorically that he knows nothing whatsoever about the Nembe killings. Similarly, neither Sylva nor the APC that he leads in the state is privy to any plan to employ violence as a strategy to win the forthcoming gubernatorial election in the state.
Sylva noted further that the escalation of violence in the state should be put squarely at the doorstep of the incumbent government of Mr. Henry Seriake Dickson, adding that Gov. Dickson’s government has failed woefully in securing lives and property, but instead has overtly and covertly procured and traded in violence to intimidate political opponents and any voice of reason.
The statement also accused the current government of embarking on all manners of subterfuge including, facilitating of arms to non-state actors essentially to prevent the change that is imminent in Bayelsa State.
“It is no doubt that Sylva as the symbol of that change is the target of this schizoid propaganda by faceless groups, paid and unpaid writers, and political jobbers” the statement explained.
The party noted that Sylva is unperturbed and abhors violence – never promoted violence under any guise, but only represents the voice of millions of Bayelsa people seeking change in the affairs of the state, a change to the gross ineptitude, pathetic profligacy and grand larceny of Mr. Henry Seriake Dickson.
Sylva, the leader of APC therefore called on the Inspector General of Police to order an immediate investigation of the Nembe killings, and most particularly those behind the “Ijaw Young Professionals in Bayelsa State”
