Bayelsa: Two injured, buildings razed as APC thugs attack PDP supporters

The All Progressives Congress, (APC) on Sunday unleashed terror on some members of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) at Agudama-Ekpetiama in Yenagoa local government area, leaving two of its members critically injured.
Condemning the attack in a statement in Yenagoa on Monday night, the Director of Publicity, Restoration Campaign Organization Hon. Jonathan Obuebite, described the attack as barbaric, most unacceptable and says, it is one attack too many.
Obuebite in a statement said that the APC thugs led by one Weri Digifa, a well known thug in the area loyal to the former deputy governor, Werinipre Seibarugu, mobilized his thugs under the cover of darkness supported by three armed soldiers who acted as his bodyguards, as they pounced on defenceless members of the PDP, shortly after the campaign team of the governor left the community at the weekend.
The notorious APC thug, Weri Digifa, acting on the instruction of his god father, the former deputy governor, who was obviously irked by the defection of over 2,000 of its members to the PDP, swiftly moved in a commando like manner and heavily descended on the PDP members who ran for their dear lives through the swampy bushes.
Two of them were not so lucky as they were beaten to pulp.
The injured members, whose condition are said to be critical, are at the moment receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.
Beyond inflicting severe bodily injuries on their victims, the APC thugs also went on rampage in the community destroying properties belonging to PDP members.
The properties were said to be worth millions of naira.
Describing the development as grossly barbaric and highly condemnable, Obuebite said the attacks lent credence to its earlier position that the APC as a party is not ready for election in the state, rather its plan is to plunge the State to another round of crisis that will compel the federal government to declare a state of emergency, which in their jaundiced view, will result in the removal of the governor.
Obuebite, therefore, stressed the need for the security operatives to beam its searchlight on the chieftains of the APC and their activities in the state.
In a related development, property worth millions of naira including five buildings belonging to prominent members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were allegedly destroyed by members of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) at Oweigbene in Ekeremor Local Government Area of the state at the weekend.
Condemning the attack in a chat with newsmen in Yenagoa, Obuebite said the arson was carried out in retaliation of the death of APC member, Andrew June.
But he denied any complicity of PDP members in the killing.
He said PDP chieftain, Chief Alex Ekiotene, was not at the scene of the incident contrary to media reports by the APC but was briefed by the chairman of the Community Development Community, (CDC) in the area.
According to him, the APC was only trying to play politics with the death of the deceased.
Giving an account of the incident based on information he said was obtained from an eye witness, Obuebite stated that trouble started when members of the APC prevented PDP members from mounting the banner of the party’s candidate, Governor Seriake Dickson in the area.
“The APC members drew the first blood as they attacked PDP members with cutlass, cudgel and other dangerous weapons. During the fracas that lasted for close to one hour, the deceased and three other people from both camps sustained injuries and were rushed to a clinic in Ojobo, Delta State.
“Andrew June did not die at the spot of the incident as reported by some national dailies but died four hours later after forcefully discharging himself from the clinic where he was receiving treatment”, he stated.
He further noted that the deceased later returned to the village and joined other groups to sign a peace accord, assuring the security operatives that they would maintain law and order during the forthcoming governorship election.
However, Obuebite clarified that few hours after signing the peace accord, the late June was rushed back to the same clinic at Ojobo where he gave up the ghost.
His death, he informed, triggered off crisis in the community as members of the APC went on rampage burning houses belonging to PDP members including that of Mr Ebilamene Victor.
He said in order to prevent the matter from degenerating into bloodletting, the matter was reported at the Divisional Police headquarters in the area.
He also said state Commissioner of Police had directed the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) to take inventory of all the property allegedly destroyed by the APC members.
It was alleged that the deceased was paid N0.5m to foment crisis in the area and ensure the victory of the APC during the forthcoming election by the Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri.