The Bayelsa State Executive Council has vowed to use the instrumentality
of the law to punish anyone or group found to be disrupting the existing
peace in the state during the forthcoming general elections.
The council at its 104th meeting on Wednesday said it deliberated
extensively on a report before it that some politicians in the state are
stockpiling arms for the purpose of causing mayhem.
Addressing newsman after the meeting, the new Attorney General and
Commissioner for Justice, Arthur Andrew Seweniowor said the government
will not fold its hands and watch unscrupulous politicians to turn the
state into a killing field.
He stated that as a responsible government it will not fold its hands and
allow what happened during the 2015 and 2016 governorship election to
repeat itself, stressing that it has a constitutional mandate to protect
lives and property.
The Bayelsa State Chief Law Officer maintained that elections are not war
but a healthy contest to pick leaders and called on youths not to allow
themselves to be used by selfish politicians to commit atrocities.
Seweniowor said: ” The violence that characterized the 2015 governorship
election is still fresh in our minds. If you recall the government did set
up a panel of inquiry to investigate the crisis that engulfed parts of the
state in course of the election. A white paper was later produced after
the panel submitted their report. It is sad to note that those indicted in
that report are still the same persons who are stockpiling arms today.
“We want to make it clear that on no account will anyone be allowed to
launch a rein of terror and brigandage. We are determined to bring anyone
or group of persons found culpable to book. We call on our youths not to
allow themselves to be deployed as tools for electoral violence and
manipulation”.
On his part, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Daniel
Iworiso-Markson said opposition politicians in the state are not preparing
for elections but war.
Iworiso-Markson said because they know how unpopular they are, they have
resorted to creating instability and turning the state into a theatre of
war and appealed to parents and guardians to talk to their children to
stay away from desperate politicians and their evil plots.
According to him, rather than take up arms, they should keep their PVCs
closer in order to elect responsible leaders that will bring more
development to the state.
“We have said it over and over again that the opposition party in the
state are not pretending about their intentions to cause violence and pave
the way for the hijack of electoral materials by their hired thugs. They
are preparing for war and not election.
“These diaspora politicians have not contributed anything to the
development of our state. They only come back home when there is election
and because of their lack of popularity they institute violent means to
get into power”.