[size=14pt]Bayelsa boils over PDP governorship contest [/size]
Tuesday, 01 November 2011 00:00
Chris Ejim, Yenagoa and Emmanuel Masha, Port Harcourt




The Nation's driver

Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, boiled yesterday.
Militants, seeking attention from the Federal Government on their welfare packages, seized the town by the throat and unleashed terror on the residents. But, a source traced the crisis to the handiwork of supporters of Governor Timipre Sylva, who is having a tough time being cleared for the November 19 primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

It was gathered that Sylva's supporters used the militants' protest as a decoy to stop the distribution of copies of Newswatch, a weekly magazine, which has the headline 'Many sins of Sylva: Why Bayelsa powerbrokers want him out' in its current edition.
The Nation's distribution vehicle which took thousands of copies of the magazine was burnt. Only the vehicle registration number, XR 264 LND, was visible as it was completely razed.

Burnt with the vehicle were thousands of copies of the newspaper, Sporting Life and another magazine, The News.
The incident happened at Mbiama Junction, East-West Road.

The leader of the protesting militants, Commander Thomas Isaac, while exonerating his men from the arson, said another group was responsible for it.

The vehicle was burnt at 4:30a.m. and the driver was beaten mercilessly before he managed to escape into the bush.
In a statement yesterday, the Newswatch management described the incident as wicked.

A statement signed by the General Manager, Editorial, Bala Dan Abu, reads: “Today, October 31, 2011, a vehicle conveying 7,000 copies of the current edition of Newswatch (dated November 7, 2011) from Port Harcourt to Yenagoa in Bayelsa State was attacked at Mbiama, Rivers State. Both the vehicle and all the copies of the magazine were burnt, apparently to stop the magazine from being circulated in Bayelsa State.

“The edition’s cover story is titled “Many Sins of Sylva – Why Bayelsa Power Brokers Want Him Out. It is on  the race for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial ticket for the February 11, 2012 election in the state in which several people are challenging the incumbent governor, Timipre Sylva.

“The story discusses the grounds of opposition to the incumbent governor’s aspiration. It also reflected very generously, the governor’s reaction as expressed in an interview granted by Nathan Egba, Bayelsa State Commissioner for Information.

“The management of Newswatch Communications Limited, publishers of Newswatch magazine, condemns this act of brigandage in its entirety and calls on the law enforcement agencies to ensure that those involved in this lawlessness do not escape punishment.

“The management would also like to assure the magazine’s teeming readers that Newswatch will always remain on the side of truth, fairness and objectivity, no matter the threat and intimidation”.

The driver of The Nation’s Toyota Hilux van, Mr. Solomon Amajuoyi, said some of the militants attempted to force him into the vehicle, before setting it ablaze.

The driver got to Mbiama Junction, on the road to Yenagoa at 4:30 am, and alighted to drop the Bayelsa parcels at the usual point, before heading for Warri, but he overheard the militants saying: “This is one of the newspapers carrying the stories and not supporting us.”

Amajuoyi said the militants collected his N10,500, mobile telephone handset, a pair of sandals, The Nation’s identity card and vehicle key, while a good Samaritan assisted him N500 for transport back to Port Harcourt.

He said: “I have been hearing of militants, that was my first time of seeing them in action. They carried more sophisticated guns, which they were shooting sporadically at Mbiama Junction and the mobile policemen at the nearby check point ran away.
“I am alive by the grace of God. I am from Abia State and the head of my entire family. I have been driving The Nation’s vehicle since 2008 and going to Calabar. I started moving to Yenagoa and Warri route in the last one month.

“I got to Mbiama Junction around 4:30 am and I wanted to drop the parcels going to Yenagoa at the junction, as usual, before moving to Warri. I saw a group of boys. So many of them with guns, machetes and other dangerous weapons. As I alighted, they rushed at the vehicle and used stones to break the windscreen and side glasses, when they saw The Nation on both sides.

“The boys were saying this is one of the newspapers criticising and not supporting them, declaring that they would burn me and the vehicle, with the newspapers and The News magazine. They ordered me to return to the vehicle, but I refused and they started beating me with sticks and other items.

“As I was escaping into the bush, with the little chance I had, I saw the boys pouring 20-litre petrol onto the vehicle and its contents. The Toyota Hilux was then driven by one of the youths to block the East-West Road, before setting it ablaze. I am alive by the grace of God.

“I continued to run in the bush, in case they might be pursuing me, because I overheard some of the boys saying ‘where is the driver’ and asking me to come back and pick my phone, money, ID card and sandals, but I saw it as a ploy to push me into the burning vehicle and I kept running.

“I returned to the East-West road near Mbiama Bridge, a distance of about one kilometre. Soldiers in two Toyota Hilux vans later came to disperse the boys. As the soldiers were shooting into the air and the boys were running into the bush, they were also shooting at the military men, who had superior fire power.

“Somebody gave me N500 for transport to Port Harcourt, when I narrated my ordeal. I paid N400 to Rumuokoro, Port Harcourt and N100 for intra-city transportation to the office at Mile One, Diobu”.

Spokesman of the Joint task Force (JTF), Lt. Col. Timothy Antigha, confirmed the incident and said the situation was under control, with soldiers at the scene.

Antigha also described the protesters as “bunch of criminals,” whom he said were not part of the authentic ex-militants, saying that some of the repentant militants, who recently protested at the same spot, disowned the “self-acclaimed” former warlords and were even stoning them.

Before the crisis was quelled by security agents, many travellers to Delta and Rivers were stranded for hours.

After more than two hours on the road, policemen arrived with Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) and they were seen trying to pacify the militants.

Some of the militants forced their way through the barricade mounted by armed mobile policemen at a check-point at Igbogene Junction.

The operatives were said to have fired many gunshots into the air to disperse the protesters who ignored them and continued their demonstration.

Isaac said: “Another group must have set The Nation vehicle ablaze. We don't know anything about it. We have voluntarily surrendered our arms to embrace peace in the Niger Delta region.  Almost one year after the amnesty, nobody has called us. Everyday, we keep hearing that we are not militants, that we only acquired arms to come and submit.

“This protest is a signal to the Federal Government that we can do anything. It was a peaceful protest. We did it to tell President Goodluck Jonathan that we are no longer happy with him. Government has paid deaf ears to our plight because of what some persons told them. They are waiting to see what we can do and we are ready for them. After this operation, we are going back to the creeks.”

The Media Officer of the Amnesty Committee, Mr. Henry Ugbolue, said although the Amnesty office is saddled with the huge task of demobilising and re-integrating over 27,368 ex-agitators enrolled for the programme, “the Amnesty office has not been directed to include any person in the programme.”

“The amnesty office will continue to brace all odds to achieve profound results. Indeed, the Amnesty office views the growing clamour for these persons to be included as a glaring evidence of the success of the programme.”

Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hilary Opara, confirmed the incident and said that the Assistant  Commissioner of Police (Operations) had been mandated to disperse the militants and miscreants.

Later in the day, thousands of copies of a mystery letter from a popular website announcing Sylva's disqualification from the contest were circulated in Yenagoa.

This led to people running helter skelter because of the belief that Sylva's loyalists would soon descend on those circulating the letter. Many traders immediately closed their shops.

In Port Harcourt, Rivers State, some youths staged a peaceful protest against Sylva's re-election.

Under the aegis of the Niger Delta Peace Movement and Watchdog of Niger Delta, they alleged that  Sylva has thrown the state backwards, noting that at no time in the state's history has it faced the level of widespread poverty and underdevelopment "plaguing our beloved Bayelsa."

They faulted the governor's style of governance, which they noted has made the people of the state worse than they were before he emerged as governor, describing the forthcoming governorship election in the state as an opportunity for a fresh administration that would tackle the twin issues of unemployment and poverty.

They urged President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to show interest in the affairs of the state as a former governor, noting that although Bayelsa people were happy that in him the state produced the first President from the Niger Delta, they were uncomfortable with his lack of interest in the politics and development of his state.

According to the groups, there is the need for Jonathan to endorse a credible person who understands the needs of the people, which they listed as roads, poverty and infrastructure.

The group leaders, Mr. John Walter, President and Sam Ebie, Secretary, lamented that despite the resources at Sylva's disposal to turn the fortune of the state around, Yenagoa has only one major road, and lacks planning, which the pointed out has led to the indiscriminate erections of buildings in the city.

Walter added: "We are worried by the level of poverty, unemployment and general underdevelopment in Bayelsa State. It is shameful that the present administration of Chief Timipre Sylva has not been able to address these problems. Governor Sylva has been in office for the past four years without anything to show for it, despite the huge allocations that come to the state.

"There are no roads, no good schools, while the original plan of Yenagoa is not being followed, in order to properly develop the town. This is why we want the President to be concerned in the politics of Bayelsa State by bringing a credible person who will understand the needs of the people by building roads and also tackle the problem of poverty and underdevelopment.

"We are looking forward to a new administration in Bayelsa State that will build industries to create jobs for youths and bring genuine investors who will also assist in the development of the state. Anything outside these, we will not support such a government," the youth coalition said.

Meanwhile, one of the governorship aspirants, Austin Ogionwo Febo, has set a four-point agenda for the transformation and economic development of the state.

Febo, pioneer vice chairman and later state chairman of PDP, said he would address infrastructural development, education, health and human capital development while expressing worry over the pace of development in the 15-year old state.

He explained that he joined the governorship race as the party threw the opportunity open to eligible persons and having considered himself a suitable person for the office of governor who had been tried and found to be a performer.

In his words: “I resolved to offer myself to the PDP to nominate me to offer selfless service for the developing of Bayelsa State, both physically and spiritually. I will govern in the fear of God”.

The former Commissioner for Lands and Housing in the state said he has evidence of his achievements on ground such as the Ekeki Housing Estate II and Okaka Housing Estate which remained the best estates constructed by any government in the state.

“I will resolve the problems of power. Fortunately, my first degree was in Electrical Engineering. I have been a member of the state electricity board. I understand the problems of the sector. I will resolve them and the people will have electricity supply.”
On human capital development, Febo assured that the one per cent mandatory contribution by state governments for the development of microfinance schemes as directed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) would be implemented to the letter and made available for access.

He said the funds would be applied to the growth and development of small and medium businesses and industries which would in turn have multiplier effect on the overall economy of the state.  

“As the chairman of a microfinance bank, I have empowered people with tricycles, loans for businesses and cars. I have been an agent of change. If in that small position, I have been able to do this, think of what I can do as a governor. I will properly coordinate state government policies and programmes for the benefit of the people,” he stated.
[size=14pt]
It was also gathered yesterday that Sylva is already perfecting plans to defect to the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) if he is denied the ticket.

A source said Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has been mandated by the ACN leadership to convince Sylva to defect to the party.[/size]

http://www.nigeriancompass.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7361:bayelsa-boils-over-pdp-governorship-contest&catid=54:nigeria-today&Itemid=594

Did you even read what you posted?

It basically contradicted all your "Boys no dey talk much for that side crap" from yesterday by pinning this crime on Sylva himself.

So now the logic is Sylva (according to source aka made up in Beaf's head) is trying to join ACN, but he is sending people to attack Tinubu-related media vehicle.

You must be drinking and posting.

In the same article he posted

[size=18pt]It was gathered that Sylva's supporters used the militants' protest as a decoy to stop the distribution of copies of Newswatch, a weekly magazine, which has the headline 'Many sins of Sylva: Why Bayelsa powerbrokers want him out' in its current edition.
The Nation's distribution vehicle which took thousands of copies of the magazine was burnt. Only the vehicle registration number, XR 264 LND[/size], was visible as it was completely razed.

Burnt with the vehicle were thousands of copies of the newspaper, Sporting Life and another magazine, The News.
The incident happened at Mbiama Junction, East-West Road

So How come Sylvas supporters are attacking Tinubu (ACN) van

It was also gathered yesterday that Sylva is already perfecting plans to defect to the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) if he is denied the ticket.

A source said Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has been mandated by the ACN leadership to convince Sylva to defect to the party.

We wish them goodluck with their cargo.

^
Carry your cargo abeg. Sylvia na spoilt market.

But why did he burn The Nation's property though? Na violent lovemaking stylee be that o