The two major contenders in the off-cycle Bayelsa State governorship election have signed a peace accord on Saturday’s election.
Signing the accord put together by the National Peace Committee (NPC) were The People’s Democratic Party, PDP’s candidate, Governor Douye Diri, and his All Progressives Congress, APC, counterpart, Timipre Sylva.
They signed the peace bond supervised by Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Father Matthew Hassan-Kukah towards the Saturday November 11 governorship election.
The People’s Democratic Party, PDP’s candidate, Governor Douye Diri, and his All Progressives Congress, APC counterpart, Timipre Sylva, engaged in a war of words shortly after signing the peace accord to commit to the peaceful conduct of Saturday’s governorship election.
Sylva accused Diri of “stoking violence” while the latter alleged that the APC candidate “may have stockpiled arms in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area”.
The signing of the peace accord was organised by the NPC headed by Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, who was represented by its Convener and Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah.
Besides Diri and Sylva, the Accord Party governorship candidate, Warmate Idikio, also signed the peace document while the Labour Party standard bearer, Udengs Eradiri, was conspicuously absent.
The PDP and the APC candidates were seen shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries inside the Lady Diana Memorial Event Place Hall, the venue, prior to the commencement of proceedings.
Speaking in an interview with reporters, Sylva, who signed before Diri, accused the Governor and the PDP of perpetrating violence in the Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area and also causing violence in other parts of the state.
The APC governorship candidate said,” But we must say that we are not very comfortable with the disposition of our opponent. There has been a lot of violence perpetrated by the PDP in Kolokuma/Opokuma. And this morning, I have been told they were stoking violence in other places.
“When I say they are stoking violence, I mean, if somebody who has issues in a community with his peers is now being made to go to the community today, then, you know that somebody is just looking for trouble. Because if you’ve had problems and you are out of the community because you’ve had problems with your own people, and you are going to the community now, at this time, then you know you are looking for trouble.”
Responding, Diri labelled the former governor ‘a liar’ after appending his signature to the peace accord document, stressing that he was surprised that Sylva could come up with such allegations.
Diri said, “If a man chooses to be telling lies even in the face of this peace accord, then something is wrong. I was really, really embarrassed when I got that information (of accusing me of stoking violence). And everybody knows this state those who have given in to violence and the red flags points in this state.
Despite the verbal war, both the incumbent governor and the former governor expressed their commitment to the peace accord.