PRESS RELEASE: BAYELSA: A TICKING POLITICAL TIME BOMB?

PRESS RELEASE:     BAYELSA: A TICKING POLITICAL TIME BOMB?

17 January 2012

1.    This is a clarion call to all Nigerians, particularly to all lovers of democracy and good governance in Nigeria, to rise up and defend our hard earned democracy from those who are hell bent on running it aground. Our democracy is under siege and our dear nation now stands on the brink of a political precipice.

2.    We have it on good authority that some highly placed officials of the Independence National Electoral Commission (INEC) may have compromised its standard by collecting huge sums of money amounting to the tune of Twenty Million US Dollars from the embattled Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva to exclude the name of the lawfully elected candidate and flag-bearer of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson from the governorship race in Bayelsa State. The money was conveyed in three security vehicles with special number plates belonging to Bayelsa State Government. Bayelsa State Accountant General, Mr. Francis Okokuro, was said to have accompanied the cash and was also responsible for the disbursement of the money to various officials in INEC, including the Presidency.

3.    Our highly reliable source in INEC revealed to us that a highly placed and influential personality in the Presidency who is working against the President’s interest was the person that directed the INEC officials to execute the plan with the assurance of coverage from the Presidency.

4.   The source further hinted that some of the INEC directors involved in the plot have succeeded in persuading the INEC Chairman Prof. Atahiru Jega not to yield to the pressure been mounted by the PDP leadership to re-enlist the name of Hon. Seriake Dickson as a candidate of the party to contest the February 11, 2012 governorship election in Bayelsa.

5.   As a result of the enormous pressure been mounted by the PDP leadership, Governor Sylva has already finalized plans to go to court this Wednesday to obtain a black market injunction restraining INEC to re-enlist the name of Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson. Already, the sum of N5 billion has been earmarked to bribe the judge. Our source further hinted that another N20 billion has been set aside to bribe the justices of the Supreme Court, including the Chief Justice of Nigeria.

6.   The Electoral Act forbids anybody including INEC, individuals, any group or anybody to have a say in the election processes of any political party, including the primaries. Section 33 of the Electoral Act is very clear.

7.   It is pertinent to ask: why didn’t INEC exclude the name of Idris Wada in Kogi State? Afterall, there were several court cases that arose from the Kogi primaries. Why is INEC applying double standards in the case of Bayelsa?

8.    The fact that the case is in court, does not stop any process. There is no judgment yet.