Tony Olutomiwa, Yenagoa
Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has raised the alarm that without a guaranteed security, election could not hold in Nembe, Nembe Local Government Area of the state.
The governorship election holds today across the state
His concern followed alleged violent attack on members of the PDP who went to campaign in Nembe Wednesday. The incident left at least two dead including a driver of the Outside Broadcasting Van (OB Van) of Radio Bayelsa, Simon Onu.
Many also sustained serious injuries and others said to be missing.
Diri, who spoke with journalists after visiting the victims in company of the State Governor, Seriake Dickson and top government officials at both the Government Specialist Hospital and the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Yenagoa, the state capital, noted that before now, attention had been drawn to Nembe as a red flag zone and unless there was adequate security, election cannot hold there.
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One of the victims, Tombia Felagha, was said to still have bullets lodged in his bandaged head at the FMC emergency ward.
“As we have raised the alarm before, Nembe is a red spot and without immediate action, election in Nembe cannot hold. Nembe should be seen as a red flag zone where security must immediately be maintained and ensure that the perpetrators are arrested and prosecuted”, he said.
He condemned the attack which, he said, was never thought could happen.
He called on the security agencies, particularly the state commissioner of police and director of state security to immediately swing into action and arrest the murderous attackers.
Diri said the party had it on good authority that a leader of the group known as the Otita Force was responsible for the alleged killings in Nembe.
He further said that before now, the PDP had been informed that the said leader had warned that PDP could not campaign in Nembe because Nembe is an APC community.
Giving details about the incident, Diri said the party was in Nembe to round off the governorship campaign before members were suddenly attacked.
He explained:” Today is the last day of our campaign. We went to Nembe Local Government Area. On arrival, we saw our billboards on the floor and that was the signal that all was not well.
“We proceeded to Nembe. Nembe was to be our second port of call. Our first port of call was Oluasiri. We got to the water front and we left most of our party faithful behind since Oluasiri is a riverine journey.
” So we left them behind with the hope that from Oluasiri we would return to Nembe Ogboloma for our final rally and canvass for votes.
“As we were arriving at Oluasiri we received distress call that our party faithful were under attack. They have been gunned down, lives were lost, our vehicles vandalised and so we couldn’t even arrive at Oluasiri. We had to return immediately to Nembe.
“The team was led by the PDP state Chairman, Moses Cleopas and my humble self, the candidate of the party.
“We felt we cannot leave without knowing what had happened to our party members in Nembe. So at Nembe, from the water side, we got signal. The soldiers were there and they advised that the shooting was still going on, the killings were still going on even for innocent party members who went to Nembe to canvass for votes.
“We were advised to drive slowly and the few security escort that went with us also came down with their arms and with that movement, we succeeded in slowly moving out of Nembe.
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“We left Nembe, knowing what had happened, we came here straight to the hospital. We got to the hospital and saw party faithful gasping for breath, suffering from gun shots. Not one, not two, many of them.
“As we speak, many of our party members are still missing, we cannot account for them”.
The PDP governorship candidate called on members of the party to remain calm and peaceful, adding that they cannot be intimidated by the ugly incident.
He also hailed the soldiers whose eff
