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Bayelsa guber: Ensure violent free election, Professionals tell IGP, security agencies

Disturbed by the unguided and undemocratic utterances of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its deputy governorship candidate in the November 11 governorship election in Bayelsa state, Joshua Maciver, the Network of Bayelsa Professionals (NBP) has called on the Inspector General of Police and all other security agencies to put adequate security in place to ensure a violent free election in the state.

At a recent campaign venue of the APC, Maciver said the party is ready to take over power in the state by force, and nothing will stop them from doing so.

“We’re ready to take it by force. I hope you’re aware we didn’t come to play with Douye Diri in this election. Anybody that is recording me with the intent to show him, please show him. Tell the Governor we’re ready to take his re-election by force. I hope you’ve heard me”? he boasted.

Reacting, the Bayelsa professionals, in a statement by their Spokesman, Mr Deinmobofa Tantua, made available to newsmen in Abuja on Friday, said Bayelsa’s election has always been characterized by violence because of some unguided utterances from political elements who have nothing to offer.

Already, the group of Bayelsa Professionals had called on President Bola Tinubu not to interfere in the forthcoming governorship election in Bayelsa state because of how members of the APC were boasting of Tinubu’s all-round support for them to win the November 11 gubernatorial election.

According to the statement, “This time, we are raising the alarm of violent plans by the APC, all in their desperation. The running mate to Timipre Sylva, Joshua Maciver, openly said during one of their rallies that they will “take it by force”.

“We cannot wave such threat aside. The antecedent of the man who made the threat is well known. We advise Maciver and his principal to see how they can quash their disqualification by a Federal High Court and to also concentrate on how to clear his various cases in court, which is also capable of putting him in more trouble”, they added.

The Network of Bayelsa Professionals further stated that elections are not war and “that is the message we, as a group, have been preaching. That is also the message the governor has been preaching, which has largely endeared him to the people”.

While optimistic that Governor Diri will win the Bayelsa state governorship election in a free and fair contest, the group also called on the people of Bayelsa state to be on alert and not to allow anyone to intimidate them before and during the election.

The Network of Bayelsa Professionals (NBP) is a non-partisan and non-governmental organization which has been rallying around in making sure that the Bayelsa governorship election is free, credible and fair.

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