Timi Biriyai Macdonald, a member of the People Democratic Party (PDP) in Nembe Local Government Area (LGA) of Bayelsa State, has been reported dead, while others including one Diepreye Akrisia, a chieftain of the Party, sustained injuries in an attack by thugs.
This is coming eight days to the governorship election in the state where the incumbent governor, Douye Diri of PDP is seeking second term in office and contesting against the former Governor of the State and immediate past Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
PDP’s leadership in the state however condemned the attack, describing it as “dastardly” and “senseless” claiming that the hoodlums suspected to be APC supporters attacked their members in Ogbolomabiri community in Nembe LGA.
In a statement issued on Friday by the State Chairman, Solomon Aguanana; the Secretary, Gesiye Isowo and the Publicity Secretary, Ebiye Ogoli, the Party sympathised with the families of the deceased and the injured.
The Party further condemned the “situation whereby a political party resorts to violence, maiming and killing or scaring away supporters of other parties and freely hijack, collate and return fictitious and non-existence result in its favour from the said community during elections.”
“The PDP, to this end strongly urge the police and other security agencies in the state to, without delay, investigate, arrest and prosecute the perpetrators of this wicked and senseless attacks on innocent citizens, to serve as deterrent to others during the November 11 elections,” the statement added.
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The APC leadership in the state had earlier accused PDP-led State Government for trying to instigate violence in Nembe LGA ahead of the governorship election.
Doifie Buokoribo, APC’s spokesman in a statement on Friday, said the intelligence reports available to the party leadership in the state indicated that PDP in cahoots with Governor Diri had perfected plans to cause a breach of peace in Bassambiri Community, Nembe LGA.
He said: “The goal of this scorched earth policy is to make it extraordinarily difficult for electoral officials to gain access to the place, harass and intimidate our members and supporters, and ultimately prevent the November 11, 2023 elections from holding in Bassambiri-Nembe, our stronghold.
“We consider this intelligence credible as the PDP is now desperate, knowing that the Bayelsa people are not with them. Their performance in office has been lamentably poor. Hence they are not campaigning on any known record of achievement. Instead the PDP is running from court to court, trying to stop the APC from being on the ballot.
“Not only are they threatening violence, they are actually visiting violence on our members in places like Opokuma, Odi and Kaiama in Kolokuma/Opukuma Local Government Council (Governor Diri’s local government) and Sangana in Brass Local Government Council.”
