“Bayelsans are not as foolish as Dickson thinks they are. They have since realised the devilish motives beneath his usual alarms, and they are prepared to confront him and his ungodly gang of lawless elements head-on," the APC statement read.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State has denied the allegations by the state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) alleging that it was stockpiling arms ahead of the 2019 governorship election, stating that the people are not "as foolish as Dickson thinks they are”.
APC described the PDP allegation as an attempt to prevent people from discovering the truth about another orgy of violence said to be planned by the PDP.
A statement by state Publicity Secretary, Doifie Buokoribo, in Yenagoa on Sunday noted that the ruling PDP in the state was plan to re-enact the electoral violence the members allegedly unleashed on APC supporters in 2015, with the personal participation of Dickson.
The statement read: “The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State has learned of a report about a nasty claim by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) regarding an assumed plot ‘to stockpile arms to cause mayhem in our state’ during the 2019 governorship election.
“We would have ignored the infantile allegation deployed in the characteristically unintelligible style of PDP in the state under Governor Henry Seriake Dickson. But we are constrained to respond just to warn our people, the good people of Bayelsa, to be wary of Dickson and his gang at a time like this. Their strategy has not changed – flying spurious allegations against the APC to try to divert attention from their demonic plots. What is uncertain is the manner of evil they want to unleash on the people this time.
“There is an umpteenth frantic attempt by the Dickson syndicate to keep the change-inclined masses of Bayelsa bound under a colourless administration bereft of imagination. And the only way they can achieve that is by visiting violence on the electorate. The latest alarm, in their usual manner, is yet another dress rehearsal for the impending violence.
“The whole world saw it in 2015, when Dickson personally led thugs to the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Yenagoa and other places around the state to supervise the intimidation of electoral officers and APC agents as well as direct the manhandling of innocent citizens. It would be recalled that allegations quite similarly worded as the latest by PDP preceded that incident that resulted in the loss of lives. APC members were the major victims of that madness by PDP in 2015.
“Having started with blood, Dickson wants to end with blood, hence the latest practice before the untoward event. His pitiful attempt at a cover-up of his crimes only makes him more of a laughing stock.
“Bayelsans are not as foolish as Dickson thinks they are. They have since realised the devilish motives beneath his usual alarms, and they are prepared to confront him and his ungodly gang of lawless elements head-on.”
The statement described APC as a “peaceful party of peaceful and development-oriented people”, noting that “despite being victims of PDP violence”, it “will remain committed to seeking justice only through lawful means”.
The party called on security agencies to "follow the obvious lead by Dickson and his people in order to nip in the bud whatever nefarious plans they may have up their sleeve”.