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By Amos Odhe, Yenagoa
The governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has commended the people of Ikebiri Kingdom in Southern Ijaw Constituency 4, Ward 3, for their show of maturity and peaceful conduct in the face of unprovoked threats to lives and properties during the November 11 gubernatorial election in the area.
Speaking through his Commissioner for Power, Hon. Ebitei Robert Tonyon at a victory thanksgiving reception organised by the Ikebiri community in Yenagoa on Sunday, Gov. Diri said intelligence report at his disposal during the election indicated that there were unprovoked threats to lives and properties in Ikebiri Kingdom, where names of high-profile persons from the community were reportedly earmarked for assassination by the opposition party.
The governor who reiterated his philosophy of showing love to haters and peace for violence, informed that the Oporoma-Ondewari Road project will be among the next road contracts to be awarded, assuring that the road will be completed before the end the second tenure of the prosperity administration.
In his remark, the vice chairman, Bayelsa Central Senatorial District of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Wisdom Nathan said the party was proud to identify with Ikebiri Kingdom because of their steadfastness and unflinching support for the PDP despite threats from the APC during the governorship election in the area.
Chief Nathan noted that the anticipated planned violence by the opposition party whose deputy governorship candidate hails from Ikebiri community gave serious concerns to the party, but that God averted the evil intentions of the enemies of progress and gave a landslide resounding victory to the Miracle Governor without any bloodshed as was anticipated by many.
The party’s Senatorial vice chairman also commended the untiring efforts of Senator Konbowei Benson Friday and Mr. Christopher Johnson Kiyaramo for mobilising party faithful to participate in the election, pointing out that Ikebiri community has always been a stronghold of the PDP.
Earlier, at the Thanksgiving Church Service at the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Abundant Life Parish, Biogbolo Yenagoa, the PDP leader in Ikebiri Kingdom, Mr. Christopher Johnson Kiyaramo alleged plans by APC supporters to burn down his building at Ikebiri community after threatening to assassinate him and several other high-profile supporters of the PDP from Ikebiri Kingdom during the election.
Mr. Kiyaramo said APC supporters in Ikebiri Kingdom allegedly planned to cause mayhem in the community in their bid to cause chaos to allow them to rig the election, knowing fully well that the PDP supporters far outnumbered APC supporters in the community.
He noted that the thanksgiving organised by the Ikebiri community to show their gratitude to God for a peaceful election, have acknowledged what God did to avert the planned bloodshed in the kingdom, informing that the PDP supporters never responded to the threats and intimidation from the APC, saying that but for divine intervention, the entire kingdom would have been thrown in bewilderment and anguish.
Former Accountant of the Port Harcourt Floor Mills and technical assistant to the Governor Douye Diri, Elder Leader Tama-timighe, regrettably recounted how he was insulted and humiliated during the election by supporters of the opposition party in the community, saying that he has never been insulted or humiliated that way through his lifetime, the way the APC supporters did to him and others.
He thanked the PDP youths for listening to the wise counsel of the elders by not responding to the several threats and assaults meted out to the PDP faithful in Ikebiri Kingdom.
On his part, former chairman of Southern Ijaw Local Government Council and technical adviser to the governor on Special Duties, Hon. Ebiki Hassan also recounted his ordeal in the hands of the APC supporters at Olugbobiri, the paternal home of the APC deputy governorship candidate, Great Joshua Maciver, alleging that attempts were made to set his house ablaze.
Hon. Hassan said he had to escape to Yenagoa after casting his vote on the election day to save his life only to be told that several strange persons were seen loitering around his Yenagoa residence, which information compelled him to stay away from his residence for days.
Technical Adviser to the governor on Public Service Reforms, Mr. Abiola Beredougha, who had earlier decamped from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the PDP and the Women leader of PDP, Hon. Preye Thomas all expressed their appreciation to God for the peaceful election while thanking PDP supporters in Ikebiri community for their peaceful conduct, assuring that Ikebiri kingdom will always stand for the PDP in all future elections.
The high point of the Thanksgiving service was the offer of special prayers by the presiding minister, Pastor Diepreye Omubo, for the Ikebiri Kingdom PDP family and presentation of a special gift to Mr. Christopher Johnson Kiyaramo by a group of political appointees led by Mr. Clinton Saun during the reception party.
