Douye Diri, Bayelsa State governor, has warned against an alleged plot to destabilise the peace of the state, noting that the government will not tolerate any act of political violence.
Diri who spoke on Thursday during separate meetings with the Bayelsa Elders Council and the 37th session of the Bayelsa State Security Council, cautioned security agencies, elders, youths, and traditional rulers to remain vigilant.
He specifically warned that a planned mega rally and the inauguration of a political group loyal to the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, could incite unrest in the state.
“We will resist any attempt to import the Rivers State political crisis into Bayelsa. I urge security commanders in the state to be on the alert.
“Parents and traditional rulers should discourage their wards and children from being used by unscrupulous elements to cause trouble in the state,” Diri stated.
The governor alleged that a suspended member of the Peoples Democratic Party had been recruited to create divisions within the party in Bayelsa.
He noted that such activities, coupled with heightened political tensions in Rivers State, posed a risk to the peace of his state.
“This is not Rivers State. Bayelsa is the cradle of every Ijaw man. I have always said that being peaceful is not cowardice. We are very courageous, and we can stand up for the truth at all times,” he added.
Diri further declared that no state-owned facility would be allowed for any gathering without the explicit approval of the government.
However, the Senior Special Assistant to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory on Public Communication and New Media, Lere Olayinka, has dismissed Diri’s claims as “shamefully baseless.”
Olayinka accused the governor of using the former Rivers State governor’s name to deflect from his own shortcomings in governance.
“It is unfortunate that a governor with all the security apparatus at his disposal would go on national television based on mere suspicion of people planning a rally,” Olayinka said in a statement on Thursday night.
He maintained that if Wike had any intention of attending a political event in Bayelsa, he would personally inform the relevant security agencies.
“Nigerians have the right to express their support for anyone, anywhere, and anytime. Is this how much the governor fears Wike?” he asked.
Olayinka also questioned the need for Diri to convene both the State Security Council and the Bayelsa Elders Council over what he described as “mere speculation.”
He further recalled that Diri had previously sought Wike’s support for his re-election, claiming that the Bayelsa governor had once “knelt before Wike, begging for support,” only to now turn against him.
“Shamefully, the same Wike he once ran to for help has now become someone he disparages just to cover up his inadequacies. It’s unfortunate,” Olayinka added.
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