Lyon’s Sack: Militants Threaten To Attack Oil Facilities

Recalcitrant militant group, Reformed Niger Delta Avengers (RNDA) on Tuesday threatened to attack oil facilities in protest of the sack of David Lyon as Bayelsa Governor-elect.

Lyon was sacked by the Supreme Court 24 hours before the governorship inauguration. Subsequent to this, Douye Diri, his Peoples Democratic Party, PDP’s rival was declared winner of the poll and subsequently sworn in as the governor.

The development had triggered series of protest in the state and from the APC which is pushing for the review of the judgment by the Supreme Court.

The militants said they have already notified President Muhammadu Buhari and the Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Tanko Ibrahim of their anger, according to a letter made available to newsmen on Tuesday.

In the letter, the militant group call for the reversal of the judgement, failure to which they threaten to resume hostility in the Niger Delta.

Comrade Johnmark Ezon Ebi, coordinator of the group, in the letter addressed to the presidency and the chief justice of the federation, said “the recent judgment of the Supreme Court nullifying the election of David Lyon is unacceptable, provocative and targeted at alleged perversion of the Civil Rights of the people.”

He said that they were aborting the ceasefire to protest the outcome of the Supreme Court judgment which went against the APC governor-elect of Bayelsa state.

According to them, “the outcome of investigations showed that the ruling of the Supreme Court was allegedly procured through the black market by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

”The RNDA should not be held responsible for whatever damage that will lead to bombing of oil pipelines to cripple the economy of the country”, if the presidency and Tanko Ibrahim fail to reverse the anti-people ruling, they threatened.

According to the group, “by the amended electoral act, if the winner of the governorship election has been nullified by any means, the electoral body should conduct a fresh election and not to swear in the 2nd runner of the said election because the voters did not vote for the second runner and therefore the second runner could not be imposed on state off which David Lyon won with a wide spread maximum of total vote cast across the entire 8 Local government Areas of Bayelsa state.

“David Lyon was declared winner of the governorship election which was well accepted by all sons and daughters of Bayelsa state and rejected the candidate of peoples demonizing party in the person of Douye Diri. David Lyon remains the choice of the people. Reformed Niger Delta Avengers (RNDA ) will not fold its arms and watch democracy rubbished in Nigeria with the rascality of black market judgement from the judiciary to undermine the peoples mandate as it is in Bayelsa.

“Douye Diri CANNOT be Governor and can never be because somebody who was not duly elected for cannot be imposed to the people of Bayelsans through one bribed bought and paid over black market judgement.  Bayelsa people are very much aware bribe money in foreign currency were used to procure this anti Bayelsa people verdict.

“We will soon come after those involved in the alleged illegal transaction. Those involved in the black market judgment to undermine the people’s choice Governor who was duly elected last November by the good people of Bayelsa state will all pay with their lives, their families and their properties in the Niger Delta region and in the federal capital.

“And to this end if nothing is done to reverse this orchestrated I’ll fated illegal evil inhuman black market judgement to remove the unpopular governor that is illegally occupying David Lyon seat in the creek haven government house, the RNDA will be left with no other option to declare war in the creek and to continue from where we stopped.”