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From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
The All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate in the last governorship election in Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva and Governor Douye Diri have renewed their political rivalry with comments over the killing of soldiers in Delta State and subsequent military operation in Igbomotoru, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
Sylva had, in a statement on his Facebook page, while condemning the killing of the soldiers at Okuama, made reference to the arming of non-state actors during the last governorship election in Bayelsa State as a cause of the crisis.
‘’I condemn, in totality, the killing of men of the Joint Task Force in Okuama, Delta State. This, again, shows why politicians should not arm irresponsible non-state actors.
‘’The last Bayelsa governorship election featured a lot of disheartening state sponsorship of gunmen. And, today, we all see the result of that act of desperation and the unnecessary loss of precious Nigerian lives. My heart goes out to the families of those gallant soldiers who lost their lives.’’
However, in a swift reaction by his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, Diri took a swipe at Sylva, condemning him for introducing politics into the killing of Nigerian soldiers.
Diri, who wondered why the former Minister of State for Petroleum, chose to dance on the graves of the slain soldiers in his false allusion to the use of non-state actors in the governorship poll in the state, equally noted that Sylva’s statement was akin to the proverbial pot calling the kettle black, when the APC governorship candidate’s antecedents as a politician was like an open book known to everyone.
“The military authorities should be allowed to conduct a thorough investigation into the sordid occurrence in Okuama. Comments should be restrained at this time while efforts are on to unravel the perpetrators.
“It is, therefore, very unfortunate and sad that Chief Sylva chose to play politics with the evil act of the killing of Nigerian soldiers, at a time patriots in our country were outraged and mourning.
“Introducing politics into the Okuama killing is insensitive just as it is condemnable and akin to dancing on their graves. For those who know, this is like the pot calling the kettle black.
“However, Sylva’s unending bellyaching and whining over the 2023 Bayelsa governorship election does not change the fact that it has been won and lost. He and his ilk should embrace this reality and join hands with our government to further the development of our state,” he said.
