Bayelsa Guber- Aspirant Urges IGP to Probe OFT Killings, Blames Lack of Development on Executive Recklessness & Corruption

The Deputy President of the Niger Delta Integrity Group and PDP Gubernatorial Aspirant in Bayelsa State Comrade John Idumange has called on the Inspector General of Police Mr. Hafiz Ringim to institute an investigation into the activities of the disbanded Operation Famou-Tangbei in Bayelsa State. The call became necessary following reports by the Civil Liberties Organization in the State about cases of torture, killings and violation of human rights by the notorious Security Outfit. The Gubernatorial Aspirant said this while chatting with members of the Civil Liberties Organization led by the Secretary General Mr. Morris Allagoa in Azikoro, Yenagoa. He said the primary duty of government is to protect lives and property and wondered why government would sponsor gangland wars that led to the death of about 40 youths in the State. He added “when a government lacks the capacity to protect lives and property, the proper thing for the Chief Executive to do is to apologize to the people and quit”. He called on Governor Timipre Sylva to account for the lives of Late Karina-Frank Oputu; ThankGod Michael and Freddie Philip Ockiya – who are reported to have been tortured to death by Operation Famou-Tangbei on the orders of government officials.

The Governorship Aspirant disclosed that Governor Timipre Sylva is a bad example of what the Nembe speaking people represent adding that the area had in the past produced astute administrators like King Alfred Diete-Spiff, Late Senator Melfore Okilo Okilo, Navy Capt. (Chief) Walter Feghabo-Amain and others. He lamented that some of these people had offered selfless advice but Mr. Sylva refused to listen. Bayelsa State has had rough times but on balance the Governor is a weeping failure and research has shown that he has stashed away more than sixty percent of the States' resources in offshore accounts and real estate – leaving very small to pursue development. Bayelsa people cannot trust him anymore and his political downfall will be good riddance to bad rubbish. He urged the people of Bayelsa people to vote for credible candidates as a veritable first step to good governance.

In a related development John Idumange has blamed the present administration of Mr. Timipre Sylva as responsible for the stagnation in Bayelsa State. He made this position known while interacting with newsmen in Port Harcourt. According to him, since peace returned to the Niger Delta Region by virtue of the Federal Government Amnesty Program, huge sums of money has accrued to the State but the provision of infrastructure and delivery of services are lagging. He attributed this trend to lack of transparency, accountability and focus adding that the present administration is the worst Bayelsans have seen in terms of mismanagement of resources, self-aggrandizement and executive recklessness. When voted into power, he said he would operate an open door policy, decentralize service delivery in the State and pursue good governance in all its ramifications.