Slain Soldiers: Diri Condemns Sylva’s Statement

Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has taken a swipe at the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the November 11, 2023 election in the state, Chief Timipre Sylva, over his statement on the recent killing of soldiers in Okuama community in Delta State.

Governor Diri, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, said Chief Sylva’s introduction of politics into the highly condemnable killing of men in active service to their country smacks of insensitivity at a time true patriots were mourning the unfortunate incident.

Sylva, in a terse statement credited to him and circulating on social media, claimed that “the last Bayelsa governorship election featured alot (sic) of disheartening state sponsorship of gunmen. And today, we all see the result of that act of desperation and the unnecessary loss of precious Nigerian lives.”

The Bayelsa Governor wondered why the former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources chose to dance on the graves of the slain soldiers in his false allusion to the use of non-state actors in the governorship poll in the state.

He equally noted that Sylva’s statement was akin to the proverbial pot calling the kettle black when the APC governorship candidate’s antecedents as a politician was like an open book known to everyone.

Diri said it is just as ridiculous that the same Sylva was whipping up negative sentiments and spreading falsehood over the presence of soldiers in Igbomotoru, a Bayelsa community, where the military had reportedly extended its investigation into the Okuama incident.

He said: “The military authorities should be allowed to conduct a thorough investigation into the sordid occurrence in Okuama. Comments should be restrained at this time while efforts are on to unravel the perpetrators."

“It is therefore very unfortunate and sad that Chief Sylva chose to play politics with the evil act of the killing of Nigerian soldiers at a time patriots in our country were outraged and mourning."

“Introducing politics into the Okuama killing is insensitive just as it is condemnable and akin to dancing on their graves. For those who know, this is like the pot calling the kettle black."

“However, Sylva’s unending bellyaching and whining over the 2023 Bayelsa governorship election does not change the fact that it has been won and lost. He and his ilk should embrace this reality and join hands with our government to further the development of our state.”