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| Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson |
The immediate past governor of Bayelsa State, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson, has condemned what he termed sponsored demonstrations in Abuja and Port Harcourt residences of Justice Mary Odili.
The former Governor called on the Federal Government to fortify security around judges, particularly those that were involved in the Supreme Court verdict on Bayelsa governorship election.
In a statement issued by his media aide, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, on Thursday, the former governor described the protests and their sponsors as โreprehensible, crude, barbaric and most condemnable.โ
He said the protesters at the residence of Justice Odili should be made to realise that Nigeria, a society under the rule of law, had no place for such a sickening desecration of the rule of law at this age.
He urged all Nigerians of good conscience to condemn the brazen attempt to arm-twist and even bring the judiciary, especially the Supreme Court, to needless opprobrium
Following the judgment of the Supreme Court which sacked the governor-elect of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief David Lyon, some thugs believed to be doing the bidding of the APC stormed the residences of Justice Odili in Port Harcourt and Abuja to protest the verdict.
The governor said the placards carried by the sponsored protesters and thugs were a gnawing anathema to civilised conduct.
A five man panel of the Supreme Court led by Justice Odili had upheld the verdict of the Federal High Court that the running mate to Chief David Lyon, Senator Degi Eremienyon, presented fake certificates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The former governor said that the provocative remarks and lack of restraints on the part of the APC ignited the violence which led to the destruction of properties worth millions of naira.
He said the APC thugs attacked and damaged his residence at Opolo, the residence of Governor Douye Diri, the Steve Azaiki Library, the secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party, apart from cars and properties belonging to PDP supporters.
He said: โWe have noted the distressing display of crude conduct by the sponsored thugs and protesters of the APC in their response to the judgment of the Supreme Court.
โI condemn in the strongest possible terms the demonstration in the Abuja and Port Harcourt residences of Justice Mary Odili. The protesters and their sponsors must be told in clear and unmistakable terms that their action is reprehensible and condemnable.
โWe are a country with respect for rule of law and respect for our judicial officers. The sponsors of the protesters in Abuja and Port Harcourt and the APC hoodlums who took to the streets in Yenagoa to unleash mayhem, destroying the properties of PDP supporters, including my residence, must be made to realise that we are in a democracy.โ
He called on the police and other security agencies to ensure that those who carried out the assault on the law, peace and stability of the state are brought to justice.
