"It is, to say the least, sad that the deputy governor intentionally failed to acknowledge the death of the two youths in his press statement, because his conscience was hurting him for the evil perpetrated by the caretaker chairman and his boys," the Bayelsa APC Publicity Secretary stated.
The Bayelsa State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the state government of attempting to cover up the killing of two persons, following a clash in Brass Local Government Area of the state.
Noting that the victims were APC members, the party alleged that there is an attempt by the Bayelsa State Government, through the Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah, to exonerate the Caretaker Chairman of Brass Local Government Area, Victor Isaiah, for his said part in the killings.
A statement issued on Friday and signed by Doifie Buokoribo Ola, the Bayelsa State APC Publicity Secretary, accused Gboribiogha of bias.
According to Buokoribo, "Friday's press conference by the deputy governor has largely confirmed our earlier claim that he (Gboribiogha) had deployed his relationship with the Navy wrongly to intimidate APC members in Twon-Brass.
"It was so disappointing that the Deputy Governor could not tell the world that it was members of his party who attacked Comr. Oputongha Pogo, an APC member, at the Ada-Ama square on Wednesday, August 15, 2018.
"As a well-bred Nembe man, we expected objectivity from Gboribiogha by stating things as they are or not saying anything at all. Conversely, he tried to absolve the perpetrators of their crimes.
"It is, to say the least, sad that the deputy governor intentionally failed to acknowledge the death of the two youths in his press statement, because his conscience was hurting him for the evil perpetrated by the caretaker chairman and his boys."
Buokoribo also berated the deputy governor for not visiting the family of the deceased, and for not using his position as a Navy personnel to the advantage of Bayelsa, stating that “For years, we have been bedevilled by sea piracy and the deputy governor, despite being a retired senior naval official, has not done any tangible thing to curb the ugly trend. Yet he is condescending so low as to publicly conceal a glaring evil”.
On Friday, Gboribiogha, offered reasons why a curfew was placed on Twon Brass in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
He said: "It has come to the knowledge of the state government that on Wednesday, August 15, some hoodlums at Ada-Ama Square, Twon Brass, attacked peace-loving members of the community with knives, guns and other dangerous weapons, injured several persons and destroyed property valued at several millions of naira.
"The said persons kept the entire Twon Brass community under siege for several days and perpetrated mindless violence in the community. Security personnel eventually arrested some of the hoodlums with guns and other dangerous weapons, along with substantial sums of money. Men of the Nigerian Police Force only succeeded in bringing the situation under control on Wednesday, August 22.”