The All Progressives Congress on Wednesday accused the opposition Peoples Democratic Party and the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, of sponsoring Tuesday’s protest at the residence of a Supreme Court Justice, Mary Odili.

A group of protesters under the aegis of the Bayelsa APC Youth Vanguard for RealChange had led a protest to the Abuja residence of the judge.

Spokesman for the group, Johnson Dume, who led the protesters had said, “Why blame Justice Mary Odili? What is her role in our party screening and primaries? Is she the one who asked us to field a candidate with fake certificates?”

However, the APC’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Mr Yekini Nabena, on Wednesday said the protesters were hired by the opposition PDP to deceive unsuspecting members of the public.

He said, “The self-styled group of the APC supporters were sponsored by the opposition to cast the APC governorship candidate, David Lyon, and the APC supporters in a bad light.

He said, “The same hired urchins the PDP Chairman, Uche Secondus, has used for his senseless protests to the embassies of the UK, US and the European Union, were the same used for Tuesday’s protests at Justice Odili’s residence.

“The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, aside being the main financier of the PDP must explain his inexplicable interest in the governorship of Bayelsa State.

“The APC national leadership is already pursuing all legal avenues to contest the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission to declare Duoye Diri as Bayelsa governor, having failed to meet the mandatory constitutional requirements to become the governor.”

In response, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbodiyan, dismissed APC’s claims.

Ologbondiyan said, “The APC has lost all its bearings. It became a confused party that is leading a confused government.

“It is surprising to us in the PDP, that the National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, is still walking the streets free after his inciting comments on the judgment on the Bayelsa State governorship election in spite of the condemnable destruction of property of the government and leaders of our party in Bayelsa State.”

He also said Oshiomhole and the APC should be held accountable should any harm come to Justice Odili or any of the justices of the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, the Rivers State Government has accused Oshiomhole, and the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, of sponsoring thugs to attack the Abuja residence of former governor of the state, Peter Odili.

The state government in a statement by its Commissioner for Information and Communication, Paulinus Nsirim, said, “The Rivers State Government will hold Timipre Sylva and Adams Oshiomhole responsible if anything happens to Dr Peter Odili and members of his family and that the Rivers State Government will employ all legal means to protect Dr Peter Odili and members of his family.”

The government also warned that it would have no option but to retaliate should the harassment and intimidation of its ex-governor continue. (The Punch)

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