By Gideon Njoku
If past experiences are anything to go by, indegenes of two states need a lot of prayers on November 16, 2019. The two states – Bayelsa and Kogi – are billed to hold their governorship elections that day.
Both states are violence prone. During elections, Guns shots boom. Machetes are common. And so do bombs and other explosives. The situation is usually worsened by Security personnel, who, always, allegedly, brazenly take sides with one party or the other, especially, the ruling party at the centre.
During the 2019 Presidential/National Assembly Elections, a couple of people were shot to death in Bayelsa State, including Governor Seriake Dickson’s official photographer. Till date, not much has been heard about the killers.
Since the primaries to pick the governorship candidates for the two main parties, the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, nothing has remained the same in Kogi and Bayelsa, especially, in Bayelsa. Internal crisis has engulfed both the PDP and the APC over the conduct of the Primaries. Aggrieved aspirants in both parties are in court.
While grappling with their internal crisis, both parties are also at each other’s throat. They are throwing verbal jibes at each other’s candidate. And while the candidates, especially, that of the PDP, Senator Douye Diri, have not said much, their leaders have taken off the gloves. On Tuesday, however, Chief David Lyon, the candidate of the APC, joined the fray. He said he was responding to Governor Dickson’s jibes, allegedly, thrown at him, on the day the PDP kicked off its governorship campaign.
The jibes between the two parties have been long in coming.
This reporter first took note from a response by Adams Oshiomhole, the APC National Chairman, to a jibe at his party’s governorship candidate by Dickson. He alleged that Dickson called Lyon a terrorist.
An angry Oshiomhole, himself, a master of hard-hitting, uncouth, language, accused Dickson of using an inelegant language It was an ironic case of a kettle calling the pot black.
Said Oshiomhole while addressing APC stakeholders who visited him in Abuja:
“Let me use this opportunity to reply directly to my friend, Governor Dickson of Bayelsa. I think he has allowed his fears, lack of self-confidence, his imminent defeat that awaits him and his party to overcloud his judgement to resort to the use of inelegant language and uncouth statement to describe his own, and a fellow citizen of Bayelsa.
“When a governor describes one of his own, purely on the account of his political differences, using name of terrorists and the like, then, he has missed it already.
“Let me assure him that we will not go low as he has chosen to, but we will rather go high and higher until he packs out of government house and hands over decently like a gentleman to our candidate, by the special grace of God, the next governor of Bayelsa state, David Lyon”.
Dickson, not known to run away from a fight had a good laugh, and told Oshiomhole to perish the thought of a David Lyon ever becoming the Governor of Bayelsa state.
“Bayelsa is a PDP state, and you will be defeated with a wider margin than the last time”. Then he told Oshiomhole ominously, “You don’t know your candidate. Very soon, you will know him”.
Lyon, the governorship candidate of the APC, is not a stranger in the State. Depending on how you look at him, he is popular, both positively and negatively.
While some people allege that he is ruthless, and had wrought pains and agony on the people, others insist he is doing his job and, is only a victim of “bad belle”.
The APC candidate is a Pipeline Protector. He is the founder of Darlon Security and Guards Limited. The company is an oil pipeline surveillance contractor to Nigerian Agip Oil Company.
Given the frequency of the vandalization of oil pipelines in the oil such Niger Delta area, it is an essential job to protect the pipelines. And, it is also a lucrative business. Billions of Naira are involved, it is usually said.
In doing that, Lyon’s company has not only protected Nigeria’s economy, it has also provided jobs to many jobless youths. And he has also gained financially.
But for this job, and his alleged qualification education- wise, Lyon has come under attack by not a few Bayelsans. They poo-poo his qualification, and insist he is an illiterate. “We will won”, they derisively allege he said at a campaign rally recently.
But, he laughs off these allegations, and says he is neither a noise-maker, nor, does he indulge in empty flowery language.
In a statement on Tuesday, Lyon while making no reference to his academic qualifications and capacity, indirectly replied: “I am a scientist. By virtue of my training as a scientist, having studied Chemistry and Mathematics, I am prepared to solve the problem of my people.
” I have created opportunities for more than 7,000 families out of my personal business organization, which has given succour to most Bayelsans”. Perhaps.
But it is that personal business organization which has given him a bad name, and for which, at least, five people testified against his business concern, before a Judicial Commission of Inquiry Over Reports of Activities of Surveillance Contractors To oil Companies In Bayelsa State, Between 2015 Till Date.
In an affidavit sworn to by one Ayawei Eric, a native of Korokorosei Community in Southern Ijaw, he alleged that on the 8th day of February, 2017, his brother, “Mr Ayawei Erelayefa”, was gruesomely murdered by employees and armed military personnel working for Lyon’s company, Darlon Security and Guards Limited which is a pipeline surveillance contractor to Nigerian Agip Oil Company, (NAOC). He was shot at the right side of his rib, and the bullet came out through his chest.
“Out of anger, I took the body of the deceased to the home of the leader of the gang that carried out the gruesome murder, a personnel of Darlon Security and Guards”.
He is asking the company and NAOC to pay the sum of N40 million to his late brother’s estate.
Godknows Okoloko is also in pains. On April 8, 2019, he submitted a memorandum, and also swore to an affidavit on the 9th, over the murder of his son, Konbowei Godknows, who, he insists was allegedly killed by personnel working for Darlon Security and Guards Limited and NAOC.
A native of Ondewari Community in Southern Ijaw LGA, he said his son was killed while Darlon staff were in pursuit of alleged pipeline vandals.
“They invaded our community in July 2018, and began to shoot indiscriminately. In the process, they shot at, and killed my 20 year old son who was into fishing and related aquatic businesses. He too is asking for compensation.
Rufus Frank, a native of Ondewari Community, Southern Ijaw suffers the same heartbreak. His son, Mr Diette Frank, a final year Management student of the Federal Polytechnic, Ozoror, Delta state was, allegedly, killed by the same group.
He was working on a farm while on holidays, and was allegedly shot dead by some armed people working for Darlon. Taken to Glory Land hospital when shot, he died a few hours later.
Said his heartbroken father in an affidavit he swore to:” My pains and losses are unimaginable”.
His four-bedroom house, valued at six million Naira, was also destroyed.
His prayers: ” That the employees and armed military personnel working for Darlon Security and Guards Limited, as well as its Chief Executive, David Lyon, and a Principal staff, Preye Osueke, be brought to book”.
He, also, wants compensation for his dear son and destroyed four bedroom bungalow.
The story of Emiye Igbe, a civil servant, and a native of Umgbugbene, Southern Ijaw is not different. He alleged in a sworn affidavit that his son, Bubeinimibofa Emiye Igbe, was also killed by armed personnel working for Darlon. Self employed, he was 25 years when he was killed.
His father is asking for N50 million as compensation, and a prosecution of the alleged killers.
And so are the pains of Godspower Christopher also of Ondewari Community, Southern Ijaw. He was hit on two legs by bullets. And, since then, his life is, almost, completely ruined. Claiming to have spent a fortune at Glory Land hospital, he wants a compensation and a refund of the medical bills he paid.
The photographs of the dead and wounded are very gory and worrisome and, not a few Bayelsans are crying for justice.
Warning: Graphic pictures, viewers discretion advised. Click here to view.
Lyon has made no statement on the allegations, but there is no doubt that they are serious issues which cannot be waved aside easily.
But a Bayelsan, sympathetic to him, says the allegations are political. “The man’s company has a job to do. He got a contract, And gets paid for it. I agree that part of the contract is not to kill people, but why are these allegations coming up now?”
But another countered, “We are waiting for him. He and his company and NAOC must account for the dead. Their hands are soaked in blood. And the dead are crying for justice.”
Lyon does not appear worried. He has the support of his Party from the National Chairman to the President. On Wednesday, he was grinning from ear to ear when Oshiomhole and the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Timipere Sylva, took him to meet with President Buhari. He looked sure footed.
But the PDP is laughing. “Let them back him. The people are waiting for him for answers to their pains”
And to see that it doesn’t lose the election, the PDP, will on Friday inaugurate a National Council/ Committee to see to its victory.
As for Dickson, he is not worried. He insists the APC has nothing on ground to win. They are relying on Federal might, he says. And, with a hearty contented laugh, he says: “We shall prevail. The power of the people will prevail. It has always prevailed. November 16 will not be different”.
