APC, PDP trade blames over refuse evacuation exercise violence in Bayelsa

The Governorship campaign organizations of the Former Governor, Chief Timipre Sylva and Governor Seriake Dickson on Wednesday trade blames over those responsible for the mayhem and violent attacks during the refuse evacuation exercise by members and supporters of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the State.

While the All Progressives Congress (APC), alleged that some thugs suspected to have been hired by the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) attacked women and youths of the Party during a refuse evacuation exercise in different parts of the state.

The Sylva/Igiri campaign organization through the Director of Publicity, Chief Nathan Egba said preliminary report on the incident showed that some APC members were attacked by thugs of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), during the evacuation of refuse in different parts of Yenagoa.

According to the Campaign Organization, though they have called on the State Commissioner of Police to bring to book those PDP thugs who attacked and injured about four APC women and a driver of one of the evacuating trucks at Amarata and Tombia areas of Yenagoa ,the Women and Youth wings of the Campaign Organization were on a rescue mission to help the PDP-led administration perform one if its statutory functions of clearing refuse at various dump sites when they were attacked.

According to him, “It is, therefore, unacceptable that apart from attacking the women, the PDP thugs burnt down one of our trucks at the Tombia dump site and smashed the windscreen of another truck at Amarata area of Yenagoa. It is regrettable that the Bayelsa State Government that should ordinarily protect its people have turned out to unleash terror on the citizens, because of the desperation of Governor Seriake Dickson to secure 2nd term in office, which has clearly become a mirage.

“The Campaign organisation, sympathizes with all those that were injured and assured them of the party’s commitment to ensuring that they all get the best medical treatment. The APC did not envisage any form of attack for volunteering to help clear garbage and waste that have overwhelmed Yenagoa metropolis, but we have assured our members of better security arrangements for their protection in the future.

“This attack on innocent APC members is viewed as an attempt to provoke our members to violence but we have and will continue to resist the temptation to retaliate all such confrontations. APC has now been vindicated as events have shown that it is actually the PDP that is a party of violent people, especially as they have clearly lost the confidence of the people of Bayelsa State due to the wicked policies of the Seriake administration which have impacted negatively on our people”.

The Director of Publicity for the Restoration Campaign Organisation, Hon. Jonathan Obuebite faulted the claim of the APC and described the Refuse evacuation campaign as deceitful and shameful, alleging that the APC members attacked the convoy of the State Governor instead.

According to Obuebite, the residents of the State should be wary of the antics of the APC members “who are desperate to grab power through the back door by advancing various dubious means. It has now confirmed to everyone the earlier assertion that it is indeed the so-called change party that is responsible for the heap of refuse around the state, particularly in Yenagoa the state capital.”

Obuebite described as embarrassing such cruel campaign strategy of the APC, adding that “they decided to carry out the show of shame on a day that is usually set aside by the state sanitation authority for evacuation. The APC and its embattled candidate, Timipre Sylva to look for other sane and more dignifying means of campaign as this latest style would not secure for him the votes required to be elected”.