*Gov Says Steps Taken To Restore Peace In Nembe
Some chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) were among sympathisers at the country home of the Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, at te weekend following the demise of the governor’s father, Pa Abraham Diri.
Former Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, who led the delegation that included Chief Osom Blankson, Mr. Perez Peretu among others, said the visit was to identify with Governor Diri and his family in their moment of grief.
He described the death of a parent as a very difficult pill to swallow but urged the governor to take solace in the worthy legacies of his father.
While describing the late Diri as a father who lived a life worthy of emulation, Senator Lokpobiri prayed God to grant the governor and his family the fortitude to bear the loss.
Scores of appointees of the Bayelsa governor, including Special Advisers, Technical Advisers, Governors Representatives in the local government areas, Senior Special Assistants and Special Assistants on New Media also visited to condole with their boss.
The appointees said they were at Sampou to support the governor in this difficult moment.
They also prayed God to strengthen him and his family following the loss of their patriarch.
Also, a delegation of chiefs and leaders from Agbere community in Sagbama Local Government Area of the state visited the governor.
Speaking on behalf of the delegation, Chief Alale Don-Felix expressed sadness over the demise of Pa Diri and prayed that God would comfort the governor and his family.
He thanked Governor Diri for his continuous show of love to the people of Agbere, saying they were grateful to him also for appointing worthy sons and daughters of the community into positions of trust in his administration.
Responding, Governor Diri thanked Senator Lokpobiri, saying he was strengthened by by the visit.
He stressed the need for people of the state to show love to one another at all times rather than allow themselves to be divided by politics.
According to him, politics was a means to an end and not warfare.
Speaking when he received the political appointees, Governor Diri condemned the recent killings in Nembe-Bassambiri and again urged the the people of the state to shun politics of violence.
He said he had directed security agencies to move to Nembe and restore peace in the area.
He equally warned those bent on perpetrating violence in the community to have a rethink, saying the government will not fold its arms and allow the loss of innocent lives.
“I have directed security agencies to step in and restore the peace. They will be there until after the election.
“We must discourage the old style of politics where we easily take innocent lives. That cannot go on anymore.”
Also responding to the Agbere community, the governor thanked the delegation, saying his family appreciates the visit.
He equally commended his appointees from the community, including the Commissioner for Finance, Maxwell Ebibai, the Special Adviser on Security (1), Akpoebi Agberebi and the Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, describing them as very diligent in their duties.
His words: “I like to thank you for the visit. Indeed, I and my family are strengthened by your show of love. May we continue to be there for one another,” he said.
Other group of sympathisers that visited the governor included the Governing Councils of the Niger Delta University (NDU) and the University of Africa, Toru-Orua (UAT), state chapter of the National Association of Nursing and Midwives, the Yenagoa and Sagbama branches of the Nigerian Bar Association and the state chapter of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA).
Others were the General Managers of Yenagoa-based broadcast stations, publishers under the aegis of the Bayelsa Independent Publishers Association (BIPA) and Bayelsa Federation of Newspaper Publishers Association (BAFENPA) as well as the executive and members of the Federated Correspondents Chapel (FCC) among others.
