Bayelsa State Governor, Sen Douye Diri, has warned politicians heating up the state politically due to their ambitions ahead of the 2023 general elections to tread carefully as his government would not condone political thuggery and nefarious acts.
Speaking during the 12th Kolokuma-Opokuma Thanksgiving Day at his Sampou community in Kolokuma/Opokuma LGA of the state, Diri urged those with negative agenda for 2023 to have a rethink.
He stressed that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state had a structure that must be followed strictly through nominations and elections when the time was right.
While restating his call on his appointees that had political ambition to resign their appointments, he called on politicians to change their old ways of playing God, mudslinging and thuggery, stressing that whoever God destined to occupy a position would eventually emerge no matter whose ox was gored.
He said, “Now we are in a political year. Some have begun to scramble to become members of the National Assembly or the House of Assembly. I have received several calls that some people have started having processions while some are preparing thugs. That is not what Bayelsa State wants.
“We have a political party structure, particularly those of us in the PDP. We opened our two arms to receive everybody. But thereafter we will sit down, consult and have a credible process of nominating who goes to the House of Assembly or National Assembly and who gets what, how, why and when.”
Just last week, two political camps clashed during a PDP rally in Yenagoa, the state capital, where several people were injured and property destroyed.
Bayelsa State Police Command, on Friday, after the clash, announced a ban on unauthorised gatherings and processions in the state.
