From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
The Bayelsa State government and the pro-Tinubu NEW Associates group are in a heated dispute following a shooting incident at the group’s mega rally in Yenagoa on Saturday, April 26.
Gunmen fired sporadic shots at attendees, but security agencies repelled them, forcing the assailants to flee.
Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, Mrs Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai, announced a government probe, calling on the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to investigate and prosecute those responsible.
Koku-Obiyai criticised the rally’s venue, the Church of God Mission Camp Ground in Igbogene, as a violation of the Electoral Act, which prohibits political events at religious sites. She warned against involving religious organisations in partisan activities, threatening sanctions for breaches, and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to peace and safety.
Conversely, NEW Associates Secretary Ebilade Ekerefe accused the state government of attempting to sabotage the rally. He claimed the government threatened venue owners, organised counter-rallies, and used propaganda to deter attendance but failed to stop the event.
Ekerefe praised security agencies for neutralising the gunmen and commended supporters for their resilience, stating, “They shot at us to create panic, but the security agencies curtailed the thugs, and our programme went on successfully.”