Bayelsa APC Planned Protest Over Invitation Of INEC REC By The Police, A Show Of Desperation – Clement Ovokeroye Paul
…Relocation Of Bayelsa Election Petition Tribunal To Abuja On Grounds Of Insecurity Is An Attempt By APC To Influence Administration Of Justice
The President of Mangrove Intellectual Fellows (MIF) Comr. Clement Ovokeroye Paul has condemned in strong terms, the alleged relocation of the Bayelsa Election Petition Tribunal to Abuja on the ground of insecurity as reported by Sun News Newspaper 29th April 2019, and the planned protest by the leadership of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State over the invitation of the state INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner to explain cases of perjury, violation of electoral act and subversion of justice in the last elections in Bayelsa State.
Paul described the relocation of the election tribunal to Abuja as a show of desperation by the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State to influence administration of justice against the will of the people of Bayelsa State. Adding that, the move goes to show that the APC won no election through free and fair process in Bayelsa State. He argued that under the present federal government led by president Muhammadu Buhari/ All Progressive Congress (APC), no state is more secured than Bayelsa State.
On the invitation of the state REC by the police to explain cases of perjury, subversion of justice and violation of electoral act, he said it is a normal thing that should not give the APC in Bayelsa State sleepless night. He called the security agencies to arrest leaders of APC in Bayelsa State; particularly those who turned the INEC office to their party secretariat in the state where they dictate what the REC should do and what he should not.
His words: “The recent development as reported by the Sun News paper, 29th April 2019, the relocation Of “Bayelsa Election Petition Tribunal” to Abuja is another show of desperation by the All Progressive Congress (APC) to rape and influence administration of justice, against the will of the people of Bayelsa State. No state in Nigeria under the APC and President Muhammadu Buhari led Federal Government is more secure than Bayelsa State.
“The planned relocation of the Bayelsa Election Petition Tribunal To Abuja has once again shown that the APC in Bayelsa State won no election in the state through a free and fair process. Of course, the entire continent witnessed how the state resident electoral commissioner (REC) was influenced and compelled to accept and announce results of places where elections didn’t hold and other areas where the process was characterised by irregularities and violence. The world saw how thugs, supposed supporters of the All Progressive Congress (APC) harassed, assaulted and embarrassed the deputy commissioner of police in Brass Local Government Area over his refusal to sign doctored results in favour of the APC in the state.
“What therefore justifies the proposed protest by the APC leadership in Bayelsa State have to protest in Bayelsa State if the state REC of the INEC is invited by the police to explain his role in the irregularities that characterised elections in some Local Government Areas in the State. The move by the APC in Bayelsa to protest over the invitation of the state REC further confirms that the APC is now in control of the INEC in the state. Otherwise the invitation of the REC is a normal thing that should not call for any alarm.
“The APC leaders in Bayelsa have no justification to carry out a protest over the invitation of the state REC by the police to explain cases of perjury, subversion of justice and violation of electoral act. APC leaders in Bayelsa State should be equally arrested, because they have turned the INEC office to their party secretariat in Bayelsa, where they report daily to influence the activities and operation of the electoral body in the state. The party leadership guided the state REC about violation of electoral act, perjury and are currently trying to subvert justice at the tribunal. The party should allow the police to do their jobs as security operatives.”
 Comr. Clement Ovokeroye Paul has condemned in strong terms, the alleged relocation of the Bayelsa Election Petition Tribunal to Abuja on the ground of insecurity as reported by Sun News Newspaper 29th April 2019, and the planned protest by the leadership of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State over the invitation of the state INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner to explain cases of perjury, violation of electoral act and subversion of justice in the last elections in Bayelsa State.){kind=link}