PDP cautions on ‘security siege’ to Bayelsa

Warning that the development, if not checked, could spell doom for the nation, the opposition party flayed the posting of eight Commissioners of Police to the state in a space of three months.
At a media briefing at the PDP secretariat on Friday, spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, alleged that the move was meant to forcefully take over the control of Bayelsa by the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2019 general elections.

“It is no longer news that the APC, for obvious reasons, is bent on forcefully taking over the control of oil rich Bayelsa and other littoral states, for which it now seeks to turn them into theaters of war, with the support of certain individuals in control of federal apparatus of power.
  “Today, the PDP and the people of Bayelsa state are being pushed to the wall as with the on-going plot by the APC and the Buhari Presidency to bully the people of Bayelsa and politically annex the state, by the use of crude force”, Ologbondiyan said.
The party alleged plots to use security agencies, particularly the police to browbeat the people, foist a siege mentality on the state, trigger confusion and violence; then create an impression of security emergency.
 
This, according to Ologbondiyan, was with a view to using such as justification for a coordinated invasion, attack and annexing of political structures of the state for President Buhari and the APC ahead of the 2019 general elections.
Ologbondiyan continued, “In the bid to forcefully seize control of Bayelsa state, the APC is attempting to convert the Police into its violent militant wing, leading to the violation of rules of engagement and putting security agencies on collision course with the people despite its potential bloody consequences.

“It may interest Nigerians to know that, in its desperation, the APC has directly influenced the Inspector General of Police into posting eight different Commissioners of Police to Bayelsa state within the space of the last three months just to destabilise the state.
“Some of the Police Commissioners spent less than a week before being pulled out of the state by the police authorities that have unfortunately acceded to the demands of the APC on the deployment of police chiefs to Bayelsa State.

“This alarming change of guards of Police hierarchy in Bayelsa state is part of the devious plot to compromise the security architecture of the state, orchestrate security uncertainty, instill fear and siege mentality on residents and then seize the political structure in the state so as to pave way for massive rigging for President Buhari and the APC in the 2019 general elections”.
The opposition party spokesman said the PDP was privy to information that some of the Police Commissioners were changed for refusing to infiltrate the firm resolve of the people to remain peaceful and determinedly supportive of the PDP controlled administration in the state.
The party also said it was aware of series of meetings in Abuja involving certain cabinet ministers, two particular Presidency aides, some APC leaders, some top security officers and certain “compromised” officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), including a close relative of President Buhari, where plots to destabilise Bayelsa State were hatched and orders given to the police to that effect.


Stating that the PDP was in possession of documentary evidence of the said meetings, the party said it would not hesitate to make them public if the APC failed to steer clear of Bayelsa State.
Continuing, Ologbondiyan said, “The fact remains that the APC knows that it cannot win any election in Bayelsa State as well as other littoral states or any PDP state for that matter. As such, it believes that the only way for them is to use security agencies to frighten Nigerians and break their resolve ahead of the 2019 polls.

“However, let it be known to the APC, the Buhari Presidency and their compromised security personnel that their assault on Bayelsa will definitely attract very terrible consequences, as it will be firmly resisted by the people, head to head, with every means available, accessible and implementable in the defence of democracy.

“Bayelsa remains a stronghold of the PDP and this fact is known to all. The Buhari Presidency and the APC should recall that they tried to forcefully take over the state in 2016 with their ‘penetration plan’ but failed woefully.

“Bayelsa has not altered its status as a stronghold of the PDP and any attempt to disrupt this order has the capacity to trigger a crisis that is capable of sinking our nation’s economic mainstay”.
The opposition party pointed out that Bayelsa state is at the epicenter of all the oil producing strongholds in the Niger Delta region.

It added that the security siege to the state has triggered unprecedented anxiety and anger across all interests in the Niger Delta region and warned that an imminent collective response by the citizens to defend the state might come with serious costs to the national economy.
“As we all know, Section 2 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) amply provided that no person shall take control of the government of our nation or any part thereof, except in accordance with the democratic provisions of the law. Therefore, we are not ready, in any way, to cede this statutory provision to anybody no matter the threats.

“Nigerians and the international community appreciate the effort of the Government of Bayelsa State under Governor Seriake Dickson in ensuring the peace and security of the oil producing state.
“Such should be encouraged to consolidate instead of this unrelenting plot by the Buhari Presidency and the APC to use the police to instigate insecurity and violence.

“Nigerians must note that our country cannot survive another unrest in the Niger Delta, especially when our security agencies are grappling with the worsening insurgency in the North East and prevailing daily violence and bloodletting in various parts of the country.

“The PDP as a patriotic party therefore calls on all Nigerians and the global community to join in cautioning the Buhari Presidency and the APC not to set our nation on fire with their inordinate ambition.

“Instead of resorting to violence, rigging and seeking forceful control, the APC should rather use the remaining days of its fading administration to make restitutions and seek for forgiveness for all their atrocities and misrule, leading to the economic disaster and daily bloodletting which Nigerians have been painfully suffering in the last three and half years.

“The PDP therefore cautions INEC officials and all security operatives, particularly the police, not to allow the rejected and discredited APC to set them on collision course with Nigerians, as such may not augur well with them, both as institutions and individuals.
“Furthermore, our party calls on all well-meaning Nigerians to raise their voices and counsel the Inspector General of Police to tread cautiously and protect his office from politicisation. A word is enough for the wise”.