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From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
The Bayelsa State Caucus in the National Assembly has said it will support the state and federal government in resolving the crisis in Bassambiri community in Nembe Local Government Area of the state.
Chairman of the House of Representatives caucus, Hon. Fred Agbedi stated this on Thursday when he led a delegation of the members on a solidarity visit to Governor Douye Diri in Government House, Yenagoa.
Agbedi, who represents Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal Constituency, said the visit was to lend their voice to ongoing efforts to restore peace to the community and ensure that the perpetrators were brought to justice.
“We want to thank His Excellency immensely for taking up the responsibility of ensuring that peace returned to Bassambiri. As your representatives, we feel that we must be in solidarity with you and not only to address a press conference in Abuja.
“We are your ambassadors at the national level and whatever happens in our constituencies and senatorial districts affect us. So when we heard of the crisis in Bassambiri we were very disturbed.
“We decided to pay you a solidarity visit as governor and father of the state, who has made tremendous effort to sustain peace in the state. Everybody can attest to the fact that you have brought total peace to Bayelsa.”
Agbedi further stated that the purpose of the visit was also to thank the governor for setting up a commission of inquiry on the crisis.
He said they had taken steps to discuss the issue with the leadership of the parliament in order to attract federal government attention towards addressing the problem.
Diri who commended the caucus for its intervention, stressed the need for stakeholders at the state and the national level to work closely to ensure that Bayelsa remained peaceful and stable ahead of the November 11 governorship election
“We want to thank you for the steps taken so far. There is some semblance of peace in the community but it is not yet uhuru. My charge to you is to seek ways of resolving the disputes in the area. If anybody is arrested for possession of firearms, they should be charged to court rather than holding them in perpetuity.”
Hon Marie Ebikake, representing Brass/Nembe Federal Constituency in an interview allayed fears that the people of the community would be disenfranchised in the November 11 poll as peace would be restored.
Those on the entourage include Hon Fred Agbedi( Sagbama/ Ekeremor Federal Constituency), Hon Mietama Obordor( Ogbia Federal Constituency), Marie Ebikake( Nembe/ Brass Federal Constituency), Rodney Ambaiowei( Southern Ijaw Federal Constituency), Oforji Oboku( Yenagoa/ Kolokuma/Opokuma Federal Constituency and Senator Friday Konbowei Benson( Bayelsa Central).
Former governor of the state and Senator Bayelsa West, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson and his counterpart from Bayelsa East, Senator Sunday Benson Agadaga were however absent.
