Dickson raises the alarm over Buhari’s visit to Bayelsa today

• Anambra CP cautions politicians, thugs against violence
Ahead of President Muhammandu Buhari’s campaign rally in Bayelsa State today, Governor Seriake Dickson has raised an alarm that All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders are trying to use the President’s visit to cause crisis in the state.In a statement yesterday, he mentioned former Governor Timipre Sylva and Minister of State for Agriculture, Heineken Lokpobiri, as masterminds of the plot.

This comes as the Association of Concerned Bayelsa Professionals (ACBP) accused APC leaders in the Niger Delta region of putting pressure on two federal agencies to divert money for their campaigns.It alleged that while the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) was under pressure to provide N6 billion, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) was asked to raise $10 million.

National Secretary, ACBP, Jasper Oborotobou, said the association was monitoring plans to divert the money meant for the development of the region.He alleged that the money would be diverted and disbursed for the Presidential campaigns in the state, adding that the ACBP was further alarmed that the newly appointed management of the NDDC came under severe pressure to release such huge sums for APC’s campaigns.

Dickson in a statement issued by Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, alleged that the APC chieftains had demonstrated high level of pettiness and childishness by scuttling the standard procedure for receiving a visiting President to the state regardless of his party affiliation.

Meanwhile, contrary to insinuations that his deployment to the state was politically motivated, new Commissioner of Police (CP) in Anambra State, Mustapha Dandaura has said he was not posted to assist any political party candidates to win the forthcoming elections.

Rather, Dandaura stated that he was posted to the state to fight rising cult clashes that have claimed about 100 lives in Awka, Nkpor, Obosi, Onitsha and environs.He spoke shortly after taking over from Garba Baba Umar at the State Police Command headquarters in Amawbia yesterday, even as he cautioned politicians and thugs against violence before, during and after the elections in the state.“I hereby warn politicians against any plans to rig the elections. I will deal ruthlessly with any politician who unleashes thugs on the electorate. The politicians should play by the rules,” he said.