Bayelsa, APC trade words over sanitation day’s fracas

THE Bayelsa State Environmental Sanitation Board (BSESB) and the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday continued their bickering over Saturday’s sanitation day fracas in the state.

While BSESB’s Chairman, Oboku Offorji insisted that the APC chairman in the state, Tiwe Orunimighe and its governorship hopeful, Timi Alaibe flouted extant law by driving in a convoy without permit during the period of the exercise and spurned orders of sanitation officers, the opposition party in the state rather alleged that the near bloody clash was a failed plot to eliminate its chieftains using armed policemen.

The ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) state government had also accused the security details of Orunimighe and Alaibe of opening fire at sanitation officials to aid their principals evade arrest.

At a press briefing yesterday in Yenagoa, Offorji raised the alarm over possible breakdown of law and order in the state ahead of the December 5 governorship election.

In a swift reaction, Alaibe lashed out at the PDP for linking him with the clash, noting that he was out of the state.

The APC on its part said its leaders flouted any law as they were stopped at exactly 10.08am while heading for Okpoama community to celebrate a former governor and party leader in the state, Chief Timipre Sylva who was being honoured with a chieftaincy title.

In a statement issued by the State Publicity Secretary, Panebi Fortune, yesterday in Yenagoa, the party alleged that recent utterances and claims by the present administration in the state showed that the security apparatus led by the police has been engaged to harass and intimidate some of its members.

“How do you explain it? Two chieftains of the APC were harassed and intimidated on a Sanitation Day. While the car of a party governorship aspirant, Godknows Powell was seized and his brother, who drove the car beaten and the Chairman of the APC, Chief Tiwei Orunimigha treated shabbily even after pointing out to sanitation staff that the time was 10.08 am.

The incident was not a Sanitation Day exercise violation but an attempt to shed blood on sanitation day with many residents indoors. But the plot failed due to the peaceful disposition of the APC Chairman.”