Crisis Brews In Nembe Kingdom Over Suspension Of Councillors

John ODHE, Yenagoa

A fresh crisis is currently brewing in Nembe Kingdom in the Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa state as its legislative assembly is said to have been infiltrated by top politicians who are allegedly influencing the councillors to cause disunity in the area.

Already, youths of the kingdom have sent a piece advice to the Nembe legislative assembly to face the duties they were elected to do, and not to allow themselves to be used by those they described as vindictive and desperate politicians to witch-hunt perceived political enemies or take unnecessary steps that may cause political tension in the LGA again.

In a statement jointly signed by the president of Nembe Kingdom Youth Congress, Mr. Albert Benibo and President of Nembe Youth Federation, Comrade Theo Iruo Jr., the youths expressed worries on the backdrop in this period where leaders at all levels were putting heads together to fight the coronavirus, members of the Nembe legislative assembly were dissipating their energies in the suspension of some members.

The aggrieved youths said “it is ridiculous and disappointing to know that our councillors who ought to have been ventilating ideas on how to sensitize their people in the face of the ravaging pandemic, instead held a sitting in one of the hotels in Yenagoa and unduly suspended the Councillors representing Nembe Ward 3 and 10 who are AD Johnson Diete Azibato and Victor Owugha Victor respectively.

“In times like this when critical stakeholders of the LGA are vigorously working together to build the confidence of the people by strengthening every bond of peace, unity and friendship amongst them, it is only proper for the councillors and those PDP stakeholders in Nembe Constituency 1 who are fanning the embers of war, to support and compliment the efforts of these various community leaderships.

“We are calling on the governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri to check the overbearing attitude of his party men from Nembe Constituency 1 who consciously erected giant wedges of discord between the Restoration Government and the people,” stressing that the same way they turned the Restoration Government against the people, they will also turn his government against the people if not called to order.

The statement further read: “every responsive government which is susceptible to the feelings of its people will only think of how to mend fences after elections in order to get the support of the people. We wonder why a government which openly promised reconciliation in its inaugural speech, was allowing such vindictive move under its nose.

“We therefore call on the said councillors who are behind the undue suspension and those shadow parties behind them to have a rethink, as the continuous political battles will not take the great kingdom anywhere.”