From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
The spokesman of the All Progressive Congress Presidential Campaign Council, Festus Keyamo has called for the “immediate and unconditional” from custody of Mr. Ebikpoemi Ebikibina Ugo, publicity secretary of the APC, Kolokuma/ Opokuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
Ugo who is also the media coordinator of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (ABAT) Media Center Co-ordinator in Bayelsa State was arrested on October 18 over allegations of defamation and conduct likely to cause breach of peace following a Face book post against the state government.
Ugo has been arraigned in Court and has been remanded in prison custody for 18 days after a Magistrate Court granted the request of the Police to keep him in custody.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa State had exonerated Governor Douye Diri over the arrest of Ugo noting that the PDP led government has no hand in his arrest.
However, Keyamo in a press statement said “we extremely disturbed by the actions of Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State in respect of the arrest, charge and remand in prison custody APC Publicity Secretary of Kolokuma/Opokuma L.G.A of Bayelsa State, Mr. Ebikpoemi Ebikibina Ugo.”
Keyamo who stated that Ugo was arrested following a complaint by Diri said it is shocked by the governor’s action.
The statement read, “To say we are shocked by the conduct and complaint of Governor Diri is an understatement. Here is an opposition Governor who is at the forefront of the call for State Police already misusing the Police to oppress a hapless and harmless citizen just asking valid questions (even without mentioning the Governor’s name). These are the same leaders of the opposition that are quick to cry blue murder at the slightest provocation if the act had been that of an APC Governor or the Federal Government. These are the same opposition Governors that are begging Nigerians to re-elect them because they have allegedly turned a new leaf. Alas! The leopard cannot change its spot.
“It is on record that despite the deluge of misinformation and abuses against President Muhammadu Buhari on a daily basis on social media, he has NEVER FOR ONCE used the Police to clamp down on anyone as a result of a mere defamatory post on social media. Instead, he even conferred some of them with National Honours recently. If the APC Governors retaliate in their various States by clamping down on officials of opposition parties, it will be an invitation to total chaos across the country.
“It is unfortunate that there is always a tendency to see it as “oppression” only if it is an act of the ruling party. However, the Press and the entire gamut of Civil Society cannot apply a different standard because this dastardly act is being perpetrated by an opposition Governor.”
Keyamo therefore demanded that Diri “withdraws immediately his compliant to the Police, which in turn should immediately withdraw the charges and discontinue the trial of Mr. Ugo and set him free; or “Diri should IMMEDIATELY instruct the Attorney-General of Bayelsa State to take over the matter from the Police and enter a nolle prosecui (discontinue the trial).
Alternatively he asks the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, to “IMMEDIATELY instruct the Bayelsa State Police Command to withdraw the Charges against Mr. Ugo forthwith and set him free.”
According to him, “Anything short of any of these options above will be oppressive, barbaric and undemocratic and would be consequently unacceptable to us and we shall respond fully in a lawful and legitimate manner. A word is enough for the wise.”