Bayelsa on lock down over PDP primaries

Bayelsa State especially Yenagoa, the capital city, is on lock down following the ongoing primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the November 16 governorship election.

Strategic areas and high traffic points at the capital city had been cordoned off by armed and stern-looking security operatives.

Security operatives blocked access to three public facilities, the Ijaw House along Sani Abacha expressway, the Cultural Centre and the Sports Complex, one of which was said to be the likely venue of the primaries.

Roads leading to the Government House in Onopa and the secretariat were also blocked with police patrol vans as fear of security breaches and violence  heightened in the state.

There was heavy reinforcement of security as lorry loads of mobile policemen were brought into the state from other divisions.

A pensive Commissioner of Police, Uche Anozia, was seen conducting the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 5, Paul Yakadi, round the city centre.

Anozia walked out some journalists, who went to a restaurant at the police officers mess to eat, saying the AIG was in the area to have his meal.

“I know you are journalists but you should leave this place because the AIG is here to eat or go very far way from here,” Anozia said

At the time of filling the report, the primaries had not started following a delayed pronouncement of the court on the eligibility of the newly-elected local government officials to participate in the internal poll.

The Justice Umukoro of the Sagabama High Court sitting in Yenagoa was supposed to rule on the matter at 9am but shifted it to 1pm.

The judge was also supposed to rule on the mode of primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and determine an application to vacate its order stopping the party’s primaries.