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Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa said his administration banned a planned rally to honour ex-Rivers governor Nyesom Wike to avoid the crisis in Rivers extending to Bayelsa.
Mr Diri also said he would always respect the fundamental human rights of every citizen and abide by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
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Mr Diri stated these on Wednesday during the 158th State Executive Council meeting in Yenagoa.
The governor said his administration would not stop any group from holding rallies in the state but such rallies would be unwise and counter-productive at a time when lasting peace was being sought to address the political crisis in neighbouring Rivers.
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PREMIUM TIMES reports that some supporters of Mr Wike, the FCT minister, were allegedly planning to hold a rally in Bayelsa to honour him.
Mr Wike and his successor as Rivers governor, Siminalayi Fubara, have been at loggerheads for over a year leading to a political impasse that led President Bola Tinubu to impose a state of emergency in Rivers. The president also suspended the governor and his deputy as well as the Rivers State House of Assembly for six months and appointed a sole administrator to govern the state.
Messrs Wike, Fubara and Diri are officially members of Nigeria’s main opposition party, PDP, although Mr Wike currently serves in the APC administration and is believed by many PDP members to be sabotaging the party.
In his Wednesday comment, Mr Diri noted that Rivers and Bayelsa were sister states, saying whatever happened in Rivers had a ripple effect in Bayelsa.
He urged all well-meaning “Bayelsans” to work with the government in maintaining law and order in the state.
“Let me make this clear. We are not a government that goes against the rule of law.
“We cherish and protect the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. And in so doing, we abide by every bit of the constitution.
“A state of emergency has been imposed in Rivers state. President Bola Tinubu has the power to do so. All we can do from our end is to see how we can bring lasting peace to Rivers State.
ALSO READ: Wike, Diri clash over plans by Wike’s supporters to hold mega rally in Bayelsa
“Bayelsa and Rivers are sister states and whatever happens there has some degree of effect on our state and vice versa.
“And then some persons say they want to hold a mega rally and all that here. We are not yet in a political season.
”l am not stopping anybody from exercising his fundamental human rights but as the chief security officer of the state and with information at my disposal, we must keep the peace of the state.
“Nobody should come and rock the peace and security of this state”.
He noted that the protocol for such rallies should be followed by first informing the state government just as the First Lady had done about her visit to Bayelsa on Thursday on the invitation of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC)”.
The governor urged the people of the state to turn out en masse to accord the First Lady a rousing reception.
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