Ahead of the PDP presidential campaign today in Yenogoa, the Bayelsa State capital, security agencies in the state are said to be working hard to ensure that supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and members of the public do not go into the Samson Siasia Stadium, Yenagoa, with objects during the campaign.
There had been reported tension in Yenagoa that Governor Seriake Dickson could be given “The Sylva Treatment” at the presidential rally.
“The Sylva Treatment” is a euphemism used in Bayelsa after former Governor Timipre Sylva was booed and stoned at the same venue in October 2010 by the people of the state for his alleged poor performance in office.
The wife of the president, Dame Patience Jonathan, had been accused by two youth groups, Bayelsa Youth Vanguard and Bayelsa Mangrove Boys, of recruiting some youths to have Dickson stoned at the PDP rally in the wake of growing political intrigues for the state governorship election.
They have also warned her not to accompany her husband to the event otherwise they would cause a breach of the peace. The First Lady has however denied any plot to embarrass the governor.
DAILY POST gathered that heads of security agencies in the state had been holding meetings on one hand, and with Dickson, on the other hand, on measures to be adopted to nip any threat in the bud.
Security sources said security operatives would carry out thorough search of persons going in and coming out of the stadium.
“The way it is now, nobody will be allowed to go into that stadium with bottled water, sachet water, drinking cans and any object that could be deployed to cause trouble”, a source who pleaded for anonymity said.
Sources say the security agencies has put the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria, TAN, a pro-Jonathan support group, and supporters of the Women for Change and Development Initiative, W4CDI, Mrs. Jonathan’s non-governmental organisation, under surveillance.
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