2 injured as APC, PDP clash in Bayelsa

– Supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) clashed over the Court of Appeal ruling annulling the election of the state House of Assembly speaker, Kombowei Benson

– Two APC supporters were injured and transported to a medical centre for treatment

– Ebifaghe Orunimighe, the state Assembly candidate of the APC, accused Benson of misleading the public

Kombowei Benson, sacked Bayelsa speaker refuses to vacate seat


Two people were injured in Bayelsa following a bloody clash between supporters of the APC and the PDP over the Court of Appeal ruling annulling the election of the state House of Assembly speaker, Kombowei Benson, and his decision to step down.

Leadership reports that the incident happened in Kokorosei community of Southern Ijaw local government of the state on Monday, January 25.
Amid wild celebration over the annulment of the speaker’s election alleged PDP supporters reportedly attacked with machetes APC supporters and injured two of them.
While both supporters of the two parties engaged in the blame game, Ebifaghe Orunimighe, the state Assembly candidate of the APC in the constituency, called for calm and asked the state police commissioner to investigate the incident and arrest the culprits.
Confirming the incident, Orunimighe said that the victims of the attack were moved to the Federal Medical Centre in Yenagoa for adequate medical treatment.
In a statement issued earlier that day, the APC state Assembly candidate accused the speaker of misleading the public.
“It is based on this realisation that we are indeed compelled to tell the truth. It is unfortunate that Hon Benson Friday Konbowei is accentuated by greed and desperation to disseminate such deliberate falsehood,” he said.
Benson, who represents Southern Ijaw constituency 4 on the platform of the PDP, was sacked by the Appeal Court on December 9, 2015. However, the sacked speaker refused to vacate his seat until January 19, when he finally stepped down from the House.

Benson made his decision after a closed door meeting with Governor Seriake Dickson, Kemesuode Wodu, the attorney-general of the state, and his legal team.