Bayelsa gov’ship: Sylva, Diri bicker over hiring of spies

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva, has alleged that Governor Douye Diri has  recruited spies to monitor his movements.

Sylva, in a statement Sunday by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Julius Bokoru, said that credible intelligence available to him indicated that the spies operating across the state, especially the Bayelsa International Cargo Airport, were asked to document and report his movements in the state to some off-grid security architecture in the state.

Sylva, a former governor of the state and immediate past Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, said the spy activities were being coordinated by a close security aide of the governor with the aim of compromising his convoy.

He called on security agencies and members of the public to take note of Diri’s alleged strategy of violence against him and the people of Bayelsa with special focus on Opu-Nembe.

He said instead of adopting the strategy of commissioning and inaugurating projects to convince the electorate, like other serving governors seeking reelection, Diri has allegedly resorted to desperation, violence and underhand practices following his failure in office.

The statement reads in part, “Credible reports available to H.E Chief Timipre Sylva, the governorship candidate of the APC in Bayelsa State, suggest that Governor Douye Diri has commissioned spies across the state, especially at the Bayelsa International Cargo Airport, to document and report Chief Sylva’s movements in Bayelsa and environs to some off-grid security architecture in the state.

“This desperate, illegitimate security operation is headed by a close security aide to Governor Diri and the end game, as is known, is to compromise the convoy and security of Chief Sylva.

“This is to alert the general public and especially the security agencies across the nation to take note of Governor Diri’s strategy of violence against Sylva and the Bayelsa people with special focus being Opu-Nembe.”

But reacting to the allegations, Diri’s spokesman, Mr Daniel Alabrah, said the governor is a well-known pacifist and an advocate of politics without bitterness, who will not spill blood to get re-elected into office.

“It is better to ignore the rantings of a drowning man seeking claws to hang on to or trying to make excuses for his failed governorship project. His rejection by his party chieftains, his Nembe/Brass people and indeed the Bayelsa electorate is total.

“Governor Diri has said he won’t spill blood to get re-elected into office. It is on record that for the first time in the history of elections in Bayelsa State, the February/March general election in the country was so peaceful in the state that there were no reported cases of bloodshed and killings unlike in the past.

“This was due to the governor’s peaceful disposition that has permeated the politics of the state. So, Chief Sylva is only crying wolf where there is none. Going by his antecedents, we believe he is the one planning what he is accusing the governor of,” Alabrah said.