Bayelsa State Governor, Sen. Douye Diri, has pledged to resist any attempt by those he described as crisis merchants to import the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State into Bayelsa, vowing that such attempts will be crushed.
Diri who made the vow in a statement issued on Thursday, through his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, warned that the state government would not condone any act that would disrupt the peace of the state, while calling on security commanders, youths, elders and traditional rulers to be on the alert and reveal any plot to breach the peace of the state.
According to Alabrah, Diri who spoke on security issues at separate meetings with the Bayelsa Elders Council and at the 37th session of the state security council, warned that a planned mega rally and inauguration of a group loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, was capable of igniting avoidable crisis in the state.
The statement quoted the Governor as stating that holding such event at a time the political crisis in Rivers had heightened ethnic tensions could degenerate into conflict in the state.
“Any attempt to import the Rivers State political crisis into Bayelsa will be resisted,” the statement said.
“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.
“Every public facility owned by the Bayelsa State government cannot be used except with the express approval of the state government.”
The Governor also warned that the peaceful disposition of the Ijaw people should not be misconstrued for cowardice as the state would not allow a faceless group to foment trouble in Bayelsa, which is the homeland of all Ijaw people.
“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 further stated that raising the alarm was imperative given that the FCT Minister had threatened to cause crisis in PDP-governed states in the country.
“As you are aware, we have threats from our sister state. The political crisis there is threatening us and we will not allow what is happening there to come into Bayelsa State.”
Diri revealed that a suspended member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), George Turner, had been enlisted to create factions in the party in the state.
“We had in our party a renegade, who has decided to form a parallel PDP in Bayelsa State, working with an ex-governor.
“The party in our state suspended him for gross misconduct and for now he is not a member of our party in Bayelsa State.
“He was a part of the kangaroo PDP South South zonal congress that was rejected by the National Working Committee of our party and he is threatening the peace of this state,” he said.