POLICE in Bayelsa State have arrested five people believed to be political thugs for plotting an alleged attack on the home of former president Dr Goodluck Jonathan in the state capital Yenagoa in a bid to create tension ahead of this weekend's governorship elections.
All five suspects were said to have been apprehended in a hotel in the Swali area of Yenagoa as they were perfecting strategies to unleash an attack on the former president’s house. All males, the names of the suspects were given as, Asupha Emeka 34, Ebipre Ebebi 25, Samuel Joe 27, Okilo Matthew 25 and Timiere Matthew 25.
So far, the motive behind the plot has not been ascertained but it is believed that the incident was part of measures to create tension in the state ahead of Saturday's supplementary governorship poll. All the suspects are believed to be thugs loyal to a candidate of one of the frontline political parties in the state.
Asinim Butswat, the spokesman for the Bayelsa Police Command, said: “On the January 6, 2016, at about 1500hrs, based on a tip-off, detectives from the Anti-Kidnapping and Anti-Vice Unit stormed a hotel premises in Swali community, Yenagoa, and arrested five suspects. The suspects are Asupha Emeka, Ebipre Ebebi, Samuel Joe, Okilo Matthew and Timiere Matthew.”
Although he did not mention the name of the personality they were planning to attack, Mr Butswat said the suspects were drawing a plan to launch an attack on a yet-to-be identified location. He added that the suspects are currently undergoing interrogation and that investigations were ongoing.
However, one security source, said the planned attack on Dr Jonathan’s residence was designed in such a way as to give the impression that the opposition was after the life of the former president. This weekend, former governor Chief Timipre Sylva of the All Progressives Congress (APC) will be involved in a head-to-head battle with incumbent Governor Seriake Dickson of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In their initial battle on December 5, the election was declared inconclusive because the results from the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area were cancelled. According to the figures released from the other seven local government areas of the state, Governor Dickson had 105,748 votes compared with 72,594 for Chief Sylva.
“The planned attack on Jonathan’s house was to give an impression of violence ahead of the supplementary election in the state. What the mastermind intends to achieve through that is what I cannot fathom.
“You know this is the time of politics when politicians design all manner of tricks, crisis and strategies to heat up the polity. This is one of those aspects of dangerous politics they are playing as the ringleader of this dastardly act, we learnt is a member of Jonathan’s party and the whole plot was contrived to give the impression that the opposition is the one responsible,” the source said.
Tension has been high in Bayelsa State ahead of the elections with Governor Dickson and Chief Sylva involved in a public war of words. Both are aware of the fact that the results from Southern Ijaw Local Government Area will determine the outcome of the election.
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