Stakeholders from Bayelsa State have warned sponsored and faceless groups against the unwarranted attacks on the persons and spiritual well-being of the Former Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri over his bid to seek justice and fair play within the fold of the All Progressive Congress (APC) at the State and National Level.
Some groups in the state, suspected to be sponsored by a faction of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Bayelsa had in the last few days embarked on campaign of calumny on various social media and tabloids against the development projects initiated and attracted to the State under the administration Senator Heineken Lokpobiri as Minister and placing fetish materials including pot of sacrifices and white pigeon at the entrance of his residence in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.
But Stakeholders from Bayelsa State, made up politicians and peace advocates from the eight local government councils of the State, condemned the sponsored attacks, warning that those behind the attacks will be identified and handed to the law enforcement agencies to prosecute in a competent court of law.
The Stakeholders, in a statement issued yesterday in Yenagoa and signed by Hon. SundayFrank Oputu Preye argued that though they would have kept quiet and dismissed the fictitious claims made on the social media by some members of a faction of the APC in the State against Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, the need to put the record straight and warn those involved to desist or face the law.
Frank-Oputu Stated that the false claim made on some development projects attracted to the State by the Former Minister is pathetic and shameful as their sponsors have not attracted any to the state, “they claimed that a multimillion naira poultry project was initiated by Senator Lokpobiri and located in Ekeremor area was not allegedly properly implemented. But their claims showed the desperation by those involved to satisfy their sponsors by dragging the credible name of Senator Lokpobiri into a non-issue.”
“Instead of embarking on a journey of foolery, what they should have been asking is how much is the cost of the project? What was the design and scope of the project? What is the name of the contractor? Is it not the procurement dept of the Ministry that award contracts while the user dept supervisees and writes completion certificate? Can they show us the video where Senator Lokpobiri commission the project? If they don’t have such evidence, why are they dragging Senator Lokpobiri into the project without justification?”
“Sensible Bayelsa indigenes have also confirmed that there is no such project in Ekeremor Local Government area which is coincidentally the home town of Sen Heineken Lokpobiri. This can be easily verified from the Community leadership or the Principal of the school mentioned.”
“We are also shocked to discover that these charlatans and their sponsors have also taken their desperation to a new and dangerous height by dropping fetish materials in front of the Yenagoa home of the Former Minister. A fetish pot with red oil, two live pigeon and some burnt substances was discovered on Monday night. The act is wicked and unwarranted. The action by these persons is tantamount to threat to the life of Senator Heineken Lokpobiri. Enough of these politics of threats and bring him down syndrome.”
“We are calling on security agencies in Bayelsa State to take note of these life threatening actions of those sponsored on the social media and around the residence of Senator Heineken Lokpobiri. We call for actions against those making unsubstantiated claims and involved in fake news.”
