A member of the People Democratic Party (PDP) in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, Timi Biriyai Macdonald, has been reported dead, while others including one Diepreye Akrisia, a chieftain of the party, sustained injuries in an attack by thugs.

This is coming barely eight days to the governorship election in the state where the incumbent governor, Senator Douye Diri of PDP is seeking second term in office and contesting against the former governor of the state and immediate past Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Leadership of PDP in the state has already condemned the attack, describing it as “dastardly” and “senseless” claiming that the hoodlums suspected to be APC supporters attacked their members in Ogbolomabiri community in Nembe LGA.

PDP in a statement issued on Friday by the State Chairman, Hon. Solomon Aguanana, the Secretary, Hon. Gesiye Isowo and the Publicity Secretary, Hon. Ebiye Ogoli, said the party while sympathizing with the families of the deceased and the injured, “condemn the situation whereby a political party resorts to violence, maiming and killing or scaring away supporters of other parties and freely hijack, collate and return fictitious and non-existence result in its favour from the said community during elections.”

He said: “The PDP, to this end strongly urge the police and other security agencies in the state to, without delay, investigate, arrest and prosecute the perpetrators of this wicked and senseless attacks on innocent citizens, to serve as deterrent to others during the November 11 elections.”

The APC leadership in the state had earlier accused APC led government in the state for trying to instigate violence in Nembe LGA ahead of the governorship election.

APC spokesman in Bayelsa State, Mr Doifie Buokoribo, in a statement on Friday, said the intelligence reports available to the party leadership in the state indicated that PDP in cahoots with Governor Diri had perfected plans to cause a breach of peace in Bassambiri Community, Nembe LGA.

He said: “The goal of this scorched earth policy is to make it extraordinarily difficult for electoral officials to gain access to the place, harass and intimidate our members and supporters, and ultimately prevent the November 11, 2023 elections from holding in Bassambiri-Nembe, our stronghold”, Buokoribo pointed out.

“We consider this intelligence credible as the PDP is now desperate, knowing that the Bayelsa people are not with them. Their performance in office has been lamentably poor. Hence they are not campaigning on any known record of achievement. Instead the PDP is running from court to court, trying to stop the APC from being on the ballot.

“Not only are they threatening violence, they are actually visiting violence on our members in places like Opokuma, Odi and Kaiama in Kolokuma/Opukuma Local Government Council (Governor Diri’s local government) and Sangana in Brass Local Government Council,” he added.

Effort to get the police comment to the incident was unsuccessful as the Bayelsa State Police Command Spokesman, CSP Asinim Butswat, did not pick up calls to his line. (Daily Trust)

Update news