Keyamo tackles Gov Diri for harassment of opposition, demands release of APC coordinator

The spokesman of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council, Festus Keyamo, has demanded the immediate release of the party’s media coordinator in Bayelsa State, Bikpoemi Ugo, from police custody.

Keyamo, who made the call in a statement on Friday in Abuja, also criticized Governor Douye Diri for using security agents to harass opposition figures in the state.

Ugo, who serves as the APC publicity secretary in the Kolokuma-Opokuma Local Government Area of the state, has been detained by the police on the governor’s order since October 18.

In a petition to the police, Diri accused Ugo of making two unfounded claims about the state government on Facebook.

The first social media post was about a purported N150 million the Federal Government sent to the state while the APC spokesman alleged in the second post that the governor was begging President Muhammadu Buhari for more money.

He has since been arraigned in court for alleged defamation of character and conduct likely to cause a breach of peace.

In his reaction, Keyamo criticized the state governor for allegedly enlisting the police to target the opposition in the state.

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The statement read: “We are extremely disturbed by the actions of Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State in respect of the arrest, charge, and remand in prison custody of Mr. Ebikpoemi Ugo.

“Incidentally, this gentleman is also the Tinubu Media Centre Coordinator, Bayelsa State.

“To say we are shocked by the conduct and complaint of Governor Diri is an understatement. Here is an opposition governor who is at the forefront of the call for State Police already misusing the police to oppress a hapless and harmless citizen just asking valid questions (even without mentioning the governor’s name).

“These are the same leaders of the opposition that are quick to cry blue murder at the slightest provocation if the act had been that of an APC governor or the Federal Government. These are the same opposition governors that are begging Nigerians to re-elect them because they have allegedly turned a new leaf. Alas! The leopard cannot change its spot.”

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