The World Assembly of Youth (WAY) has sent a delegation of youths and other peace advocates on tour of institutions affected by the violence that trailed the Supreme Court judgment on Bayelsa.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the apex court had held that APC’s David Lyon’s Deputy, Degi Ereminyo, submitted forged documents which made both ineligible to contest the state’s governorship election.
INEC, in compliance with the judgment, on Friday issued a certificate of return to the PDP candidate, Duoye Diri, who took an oath of office as the Governor amidst tight security at the Government House, Yenagoa.
Some residents of the state had on Feb. 14, staged a protest in Yenagoa to register their displeasure ahead of Diri’s swearing-in.
Some public facilities were burnt during the protest, which made the Bayelsa Police Command to impose a dusk-to-dawn curfew in the state until Feb. 23.
Mr Preye Ketebu-Brown, Vice President WAY, told NAN in Yenagoa that the tour was aimed at peacebuilding.
According to the youth leader, the delegates visited Bayelsa Medical University, Diri’s house, Prof. Azaiki Library, Radio Bayelsa and Nigerian Television Authority, Yenagoa, amongst other places.
Ketebu-Brown condemned the violence, regretting that criminal elements took advantage of such a situation to destroy and steal public and private property as well as injure innocent people.
He urged Bayelsa people to embrace peace, and called on the new governor to feel the pulse of the people and hit the ground running with programmes and projects that would improve their lives.
He advised the governor to visit the affected institutions and put machinery in motion to address the immediate and remote causes of the crisis with a view to forestalling a reoccurrence.
He appealed that all individuals who lost property to the violence should be adequately compensated by the Bayelsa State Government as a strategy to build peace.
Ketebu-Brown applauded the quick intervention of the Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva, who condemned all forms of violence and urged the people to remain calm.
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