TRACKING______Two weeks after the Supreme Court Ruling that sacked the Bayelsa Governor-Elect of the APC, David Lyon and his Deputy Biobarakuma Degi over certificate forgery, more revelations have
emerged about the rottenness that plagued the APC after the court ruling that saw Senator Douye Diri of PDP being sworn in less than 24 hours before David Lyon would have assumed office as Governor.
It was learnt that the Supreme Court ruling threw confusion into the camp of the APC who had made adequate preparations for the inauguration as payments had already been made to several vendors providing services, hotels, transportation, catering and general logistics. After the storm had cleared, more revelations came to light revealing the roles former President Jonathan and Patience Jonathan played in the preparation of the inaugurations that never happened.
Meanwhile, the Bayelsa state chapter of the APC has asked Former President Goodluck Jonathan and his Wife to refund the N300m and bullet proof cars given to them by David Lyon for the inauguration.
David Lyon had paid for the use of Aridolf hotel owned by The Jonathans for 4 months as sources said, Lyon had wanted to run the Government from that hotel pending the completion of the intended renovations of the Bayelsa State Government house.
We also gathered that the N300m is part of the N5bn Davi+d Lyon and the minister of state for petroleum Timipre Sylva borrowed from two banks with a promise that various state bank accounts and other juicy deals will be given to them when they assume office, a plan which ultimately backfired along with all inauguration arrangements.
Our correspondent also learnt that Entertainers and several service providers had been paid and assorted drinks that were to be imported from the United Kingdom and South Africa had been duly paid for as well.
The APC had planned to turn Bayelsa State to a Carnival.
Bayelsans were to have endless parties for a month, free food was to be given to people at different points across the state.
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All hotels had been paid upfront in Bayelsa to accommodate commercial sex workers from other states. Militants were to be placed in charge of security in the state.
It was supposed to be an entire month of jamborees and wastefulness, and it never happened as the Supreme Court made the ruling.
The Bayelsa chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC has also called on the country’s anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC to as a matter of urgency, launch an investigation into all the monies, Loans and collateral given to Timipre Sylva which were never accounted or judiciously used for the Bayelsa election.
It is in good knowledge that Timipre Sylva received over $150m for Bayelsa election and only a meagre sum of $10m was handed over to David Lyon for the election.
A group known as APC Reformation Forum had accused the Jonathans for sabotaging their mandate after the election. The group says the Jonathan’s were petty and couldn’t wait for David Lyon to be inaugurated before they started making demands and collecting bullet proof cars.
Goodluck Jonathan, a leader of the PDP received N300m in cash to provide entertainment and logistics for his guests that were supposed to come to Bayelsa state for David Lyon’s inauguration, Goodluck Jonathan and his wife Patience had already concluded plans to attend the inauguration of an APC governor whose election was still contested in court by his party, an election that was adjudged by local and international observers to have been massively rigged in favor of the APC. This further exposes his disloyalty to his party that made him President.
You would recall that a group, PDP Renaissance group had in a press statement after the election, berated Goodluck Jonathan for failing to condemn the violence that took place in his home state during the elections.
Consequently, Counting down to the inauguration that never happened, there was already a conflagration of different groups (David Lyon, The Jonathans and Sylva) over commissioner nominees and other appointments in the state. David Lyon’s hands were already tied even before his botched swearing in.
An APC faithful our corespondent spoke with says, “Now that the game is over, it makes sense to lessen the burden of David Lyon that was used as a sacrificial lamb by Timipre Sylva. The vehicles and monies should be returned without drama to save face”.
Several PDP members and leaders in Bayelsa and outside Bayelsa have expressed disappointment towards the Jonathans over their role in the last elections and for also allowing their image and self acclaimed integrity to be dented with allegations of anti-Party activities and return of alleged N300m given to them for APC inauguration.
A Bayelsa state based member of the PDP in Yenagoa who asked to remain anonymous said that “Nigerians have always known that GEJ is a “careless man” in his politics and showed lack of critical judgment”
More on Jonathan…
Jonathan’s integrity came under scrutiny again recently when Olisa Metuh was found guilty of receiving N400m from Former NSA Sambo Dasuki for election campaign.
You would recall that Goodluck Jonathan failed to appear in court or speak up for Olisa Metuh during his trial when it is obvious that he (Jonathan) asked Olisa Metuh to collect the money from Dasuki.
As Bayelsa state slowly recovers from the wounds of the violence meted on it by APC loyalists after the Supreme Court ruling, yet the storm is not over. The APC struggles to put its house in order as more dirt of its financial dealings during the elections surface.
