Diri blames Oshiomole, Sylva for Bayelsa violence

Douye Diri, the Bayelsa State Governor, has alleged that Adams Oshiomole, the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, and the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, are behind the violence in his state.

According to Diri, Oshiomhole and Sylva are responsible for the violent protest that ensued in Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa on February 14 in response to the Supreme Court judgment which nullified the former governor-elect election, David Lyon, of APC and declared the Peoples Democratic Party winner on February 13.

He disclosed this during a visit to some public and private properties on Thursday to inspect the level of damage allegedly done by the supporters of the APC during the violent protest in Yenagoa.

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APC thugs took to the streets of Yenagoa after the supreme court’s judgment and attacked and looted several properties, including his private residence.

Diri visited the private residence of former Governor Seriake Dickson, the Prof Steve Azaiki Public Library, Radio Bayelsa and the houses of some PDP stalwarts.

He said: “The APC National Chairman challenged the ruling of the Supreme Court and declared that there would be no governor in Bayelsa State. And that ignited the protest back home here.

“And as if what the National Chairman of the APC said on (February) 13 was not enough, after I had been sworn in, the Minister of (State) for Petroleum Resources came out smoking by declaring that the Governor of Bayelsa State is illegitimate. When you make this type of inflammatory statement, from a man who is occupying such an exalted office, as high as Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, what you expect is the damage that we have seen.”

“But we have seen protests. In Imo State, when the Supreme Court gave its ruling, there was a protest, for not one day, two, three days. They were very peaceful and no property was touched.”