Bayelsa APC, PDP trade allegations on judges’ corruption

The All Progressives Congress (APC), in Bayelsa, has threatened to expose moves by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to influence Supreme Court judges handling the 2016 governorship elections petitions.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the party posed the threat in a statement issued by the state publicity secretary of the APC, Mr Fortune Panebi.

However, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in a reaction dismissed the allegation as frivolous and coming from a drowning party in the state.

The APC alleged that the PDP’s moves were to swing the 2016 Bayelsa gubernatorial election petition in favour of its candidate adding that it would fight to the end to get justice for the people.

The APC cautioned that the syndicate involved in the transfer of funds meant for civil servants salaries used as bribe would be investigated and prosecuted.

The party alleged that the pre- and post-elections activities had shown how desperate the Gov. Seriake Dickson administration was in the quest for power.

The APC alleged that it was aware of the latest moves by the PDP to move high powered delegations to Abuja to influence the up-coming Supreme Court judgment.

The APC accused the PDP of patronizing and enriching corrupt judges in the country to the detriment of poor civil servants in the state whose salaries were unpaid for several months.

It assured the people of Bayelsa that the APC was doing everything legitimate to ensure it secured justice at the apex court.

The party also warned the state Commissioner for information, Mr Jonathan Obuebite, on his recent scathing attack on the leader of the APC and former governor of Bayelsa, Chief Timipre Sylva.

The party alleged that the PDP rather than take responsibility for its woes had keep playing the blame game.

The APC noted that instead of the governor to take the blame for the failure of his party to develop the capacity of the people in Bayelsa, all the party does is to look for scapegoats.

The party expressed the hope that soon the people would be liberated from their more than five years of suffering under the current administration.

In a reaction, the Chairman of the PDP in Bayelsa, Mr Cleopas Moses, described the allegation as outlandish.

Moses said the allegation was coming from a party which had yet to get its house together since the Jan. 10, declaration of Gov. Dickson as winner of the governorship polls.

According to him the APC is hallucinating over its desire to regain Bayelsa and asks it to go ahead and name those the PDP allegedly engaged as syndicate to transfer the said funds to the judges.

Moses, however, warned the APC to substantiate its claims of bribery with verifiable facts so that the world could believe.

“This is another smear campaign against our party, another lie from the pit of hell aimed at diverting attention from the original plan of our traducers.

“But as always it will not sell because it lacks every attractive ingredient,” he said.

Moses also reminded the APC that it had become famous with bribing judges adding “if their colleagues in Bayelsa are accusing us it shows a desperation on their part to cover up something.’’

According to him, the PDP believes in the judiciary and its members are convinced that they convincingly won the governorship elections in Bayelsa.

`They do not need to bribe anyone to manipulate the judgment of the apex court.

“The victory of the PDP at the lower court is enough reason to show that it will not change at the Supreme Court,’’ he stated.

Moses called on the APC and its candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva, to forge ahead rather than dream of coming back to govern the same people who had rejected them.

He described the attack on the personality of the Commissioner of Information and Orientation, Mr Obuebite, as uncalled for.

Describing Obuebite as a thorough-bred politician and seasoned commentator cum analyst, the Chairman further said attack on his personality was a diversionary tactic and desperation on APC’s part to cover up something.

He also advised members of the APC in the state to look for means of finding lasting solution to the crisis rocking their party.