Lawyers and the client, who filed a petition at the tribunal seeking disqualification of the Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewrujakpor and the Governor, Senator Douye Diri, have raised the alarm on threats to their lives.
The lawyers, Pius Danba Pius, Aluzu Ebikebuna and Ebi Robert said the life of their client and governorship candidate of the Liberation Movement at the November 16, 2019 governorship election, Vijah Opuama were constantly under threats by some persons in the state.
Opuama in a petition he filed through Pius, his lead lawyer and Ebikebuna, further prayed the court to cancel the November 16, 2019 governorship election and order a fresh poll alleging that the election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) failed to comply with the 1999 Constitution.
The candidate listed INEC, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri and his Deputy, Lawrence Ewrujakpor, as respondents to the petition.
Opuama in the petition alleged that Ewrujakpor, the 4th respondent, submitted an affidavit to INEC, the 1st respondent,that contained false information.
But Aluzu on Friday lamented that some persons were threatening to kill Opuama following his refusal to withdraw the petition.
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Aluzu also said that apart from Opuama, the persons were hatching a plot to kill him and label him a cultist.
He urged politicians to call their supporters to order and educate them on the need to allow the democratic process to undertake its natural course.
He said: “There have been continuous threats to the life of our client who is challenging the qualification of the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa state in Petition No: EPT/BY/GOV/02/2019
“Those, who were quick to play down on the strength of our matter and dismissed our petition, have resorted to violent threats having unsuccessfully tried to compromise the petitioner.
“I have also received similar untoward advances. I am by this post putting the general public on notice that there are plans to systematically attack our client and possibly kill him.
“I just heard of a plan to use street cult boys to assassinate me and label me as a cultist attacked by rival a cult”.
Also speaking, one of the lawyers in the team, Robert, confirmed the development and appealed to security agencies to investigate the development.
He said: “It has come to our notice that the Governorship candidate who filed a petition against the PDP over the emergence of the deputy governor and governor of Bayelsa over the alleged false information presented to INEC has been threatened over his democratic act. That is to say, his life has been threatened by some overzealous demonic folks.
“I thought they said that the petition was dead on arrival. So, why the threat? I urge everyone to maintain peace. If the Government has a good case, let them go to court and defend themselves. I believe the Government will do the needful
“Therefore threats by some unguided fellows is no good. Threats will not help the system. We are in a democratic system of government and every Nigerian citizen has the right to approach any court of law to seek redress. I therefore call on the security agencies to investigate this matter.”
Lawyers and the client, who filed a petition at the tribunal seeking disqualification of the Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewrujakpor and the Governor, Senator Douye Diri, have raised the alarm on threats to their lives.
The lawyers, Pius Danba Pius, Aluzu Ebikebuna and Ebi Robert said the life of their client and governorship candidate of the Liberation Movement at the November 16, 2019 governorship election, Vijah Opuama were constantly under threats by some persons in the state.
Opuama in a petition he filed through Pius, his lead lawyer and Ebikebuna, further prayed the court to cancel the November 16, 2019 governorship election and order a fresh poll alleging that the election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) failed to comply with the 1999 Constitution.
The candidate listed INEC, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri and his Deputy, Lawrence Ewrujakpor, as respondents to the petition.
Opuama in the petition alleged that Ewrujakpor, the 4th respondent, submitted an affidavit to INEC, the 1st respondent,that contained false information.
But Aluzu on Friday lamented that some persons were threatening to kill Opuama following his refusal to withdraw the petition.
Read Also: Diri: Supreme Court only okayed God’s judgment
Aluzu also said that apart from Opuama, the persons were hatching a plot to kill him and label him a cultist.
He urged politicians to call their supporters to order and educate them on the need to allow the democratic process to undertake its natural course.
He said: “There have been continuous threats to the life of our client who is challenging the qualification of the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa state in Petition No: EPT/BY/GOV/02/2019
“Those, who were quick to play down on the strength of our matter and dismissed our petition, have resorted to violent threats having unsuccessfully tried to compromise the petitioner.
“I have also received similar untoward advances. I am by this post putting the general public on notice that there are plans to systematically attack our client and possibly kill him.
“I just heard of a plan to use street cult boys to assassinate me and label me as a cultist attacked by rival a cult”.
Also speaking, one of the lawyers in the team, Robert, confirmed the development and appealed to security agencies to investigate the development.
He said: “It has come to our notice that the Governorship candidate who filed a petition against the PDP over the emergence of the deputy governor and governor of Bayelsa over the alleged false information presented to INEC has been threatened over his democratic act. That is to say, his life has been threatened by some overzealous demonic folks.
“I thought they said that the petition was dead on arrival. So, why the threat? I urge everyone to maintain peace. If the Government has a good case, let them go to court and defend themselves. I believe the Government will do the needful
“Therefore threats by some unguided fellows is no good. Threats will not help the system. We are in a democratic system of government and every Nigerian citizen has the right to approach any court of law to seek redress. I therefore call on the security agencies to investigate this matter.”
