The Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, says he was not surprised when he read the statement signed by a former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, on the #endbadgovernance and hunger protest planned from August 1 across Nigeria.
In the statement, Sylva exonerated himself from a plot to cause mayhem in the state during the proposed protest.
Governor Diri however said he was not surprised neither is he perturbed about the uncouth riposte of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the November 11 governorship poll in the state, noting that it is consistent with his oft-predictable character.
In a statement by his Spokesman, Daniel Alabrah, Diri said "for a man privileged to have led a state as governor to descend to such low levels is rather unfortunate.
"But in addressing the crux of the matter, only those who do not know the former Minister of State would believe his chameleonic attempt at exoneration.
"Sylva’s fuss about Governor Diri’s remarks during Monday’s state security council meeting is not only riling but also clearly betrays one troubled by conscience.
"According to Uthman Dan Fodio, “conscience is an open wound. Only truth can heal it.” Sylva obviously fits Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart portraiture of the old woman that gets uncomfortable when dry bones are mentioned in a proverb.
"How else does one explain Sylva’s diatribe when the Bayelsa governor did not as much as mention his name while he spoke at the referenced security council meeting? Is it truly the case of a conscience overtaken by guilt? Perhaps!
"Governor Diri is a serious-minded leader and not given to frivolity in governance. As the chief security officer of the state, he is regularly briefed on any threat to its peace. So his caution to youths to be wary of being used by politicians that are still seething from their loss in the last governorship poll was apt.
"There were 16 candidates in that election, including the incumbent governor. Pray, how did his reference to failed politicians at the poll conduce to the person of Sylva only? Perhaps, it is another case of the bird crying at night and the child dying in the morning. Do we need to ask what killed him?
"Sylva’s cold-hearted and ardourless rebuttal flies in the face when it is clearly seen that his APC members and supporters in the state are all over the social media space galvanising support for the #endbadgovernance protest. Only the ignorant and naive will be deceived by his vacillation, disclaimer or denial."
The statement further read: "Senator Diri, a pacifist and governor on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, has been engaging with various groups to ensure that the protest is peaceful or shelved completely to avoid destruction or loss of lives. The state cannot afford another bout of the February 13, 2020 insensitive and mindless destruction of assets belonging to the state and individuals.
"Intelligence reports already indicate that the same band of heartless individuals are being procured to again unleash mayhem on the state in the guise of a protest. Governor Diri’s call is for reason to prevail, and the protest shelved!"
