Bayelsa Gubar: APC and PDP quarrel over alleged conspiracy to frame Silva on corruption charges
The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa State on Monday over Governor Dowe Diri’s alleged conspiracy to use the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to frame Chief Timipre Sylva on corruption charges. We exchanged words.
Mr. Silva is the APC candidate in the just-concluded Bayelsa State governorship election.
APC, in a statement sent to DAILY POST through the state Public Relations Secretary, Mr. Doifie Buokolibo, said that Mr. Silva was used by Diri to divert Mr. Silva’s attention from effectively pursuing his petition drive in the governorship election. He said he was trying to make it look like he was guilty of a crime he didn't commit. court.
The statement read in part: “We condemn Senator Diri’s nefarious activities at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) aimed at sponsoring a fabricated petition against Mr. Sylva and his involvement in the commission. “We are aware of the pressure being placed on personnel to initiate arrests and prosecutions.” In particular, it accused him of trumped-up charges just before his stint as Minister of Petroleum Resources.
“We are on good authority that Governor Diri instigated a fishing expedition by EFCC officials in an attempt to assemble flimsy and fictitious charges against Mr. Sylva in order to arrest him. All this is aimed at distracting the APC candidate and preventing him from effectively pursuing his petition at the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal.
“Senator Diri is well aware that he did not win the November 11th gubernatorial election. He knows without a doubt that he will return. That is why, despite his reported victory, there is little celebration. Mr. Diri and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have nothing to celebrate. I know that there is nothing, and I'm just frustrated.
“The APC wants to use this medium to warn Diri and the PDP to desist from their conspiratorial activities against Sylva at the EFCC.
“We would also like to advise the EFCC to resist any temptation to get caught up in the political machinations of the sinking governor and his party.”
However, the PDP, through the state Publicity Secretary, Ebiye Ogori, hit back and called on the APC to distance Diri from Sylva’s suffering.
According to the PDP, the allegations by the APC were an attempt to defraud gullible Bayelsans.
“The attention of the Bayelsa State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been drawn to a malicious publication to the effect that the state governor, Senator Douye Diri and our party are involved in a secret conspiracy to fabricate corruption allegations. Defeated All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate Chief Timipre Sylva before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
“Chief Timpre Silva, as a bad loser, refused to recognize and accept the results of the November 11 gubernatorial election as it was, a free, fair and transparent vote.
“The election was one of the cleanest in recent times held by the Independent National Electoral Commission, with incumbent Governor Douye Diri reelected in a landslide, and various local and international observers said was widely appreciated by the Union,” the PDP statement said in part.
Source: dailypost.ng