Elders of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Bayelsa State have slammed the state governor, Douye Diri, for accusing former Petroleum Minister (State), Chief Timipre Sylva, of sponsoring the hardship protest in the state.

The APC elders noted that Sylva had, in a recent statement, begged Nigerian youths to stand by President Bola Tinubu and give him more time to solve the country’s problems.

The APC Elders Forum, in a statement signed on Tuesday by its Secretary, Chief Clarkson Ayebaepreye, said Sylva has always been known for suing for peace.

The statement observed that “it was a day after Chief Sylva gave his plea that Douye Diri, whom we are sure is playing a double agent, grudgingly gave out a poorly written, stale and unenthusiastic message”.

“It is curious that a governor in office will wait so long to issue so important a message after getting prompting from Sylva’s mature statement.

“We state that Gov. Diri is a a double agent in a desperate quest to get APC’s stolen mandate at the court. If anyone remembers, Diri’s romance with top APC chieftains in Abuja began immediately a court case probing his so-called victory arose,” the statement added.

The elders said Diri worked for and heavily sponsored the PDP and his direct boss, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, during the last election, adding that the Bayelsa governor did everything within his power to truncate Tinubu’s victory.

“Now he has suddenly become a last minute friend of the APC in Abuja and especially the Villa. Should he get his way at the Supreme Court he would fall back to the PDP and his political leader Atiku Abubakar

“We must not forget that this same emergency friend of the APC did all in his power to fail President Tinubu at the poll. This man spent dozens of billions of Bayelsa tax payers monies in sponsoring his boss Atiku.

“Governor Diri went to the Supreme Court to sponsor and support the Naira Redesign policy in his warped belief it will truncate President Tinubu’s chances at Aso Rock.

“This governor infamously locked our very dear First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu out of Government House during campaigns just not to upset his boss Atiku Abubakar.

“Diri should come out and tell us his role during the last Presidential elections, who did he sponsor? Who did he and his few followers vote for? Is he not currently lobbying to be Atiku’s vice?

“We put it straight to him that he has been ordered by Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to coordinate protests in Bayelsa State. Everyone can see through his gaslighting and deceptions. The APC in Bayelsa State will not partake or take lightly to any protest in our dear state.

“Governor Diri claims to be supporting President Tinubu but he has made several efforts to arrest APC youths planning pro-Tinubu’s movement in Bayelsa. While he is sponsoring people to protest against Tinubu, he is making efforts to stop those planning to hold a rally supporting the President.

“Governor Diri’s afternoon love of the APC will be known after the Supreme Court judgment as that is the cause of his current narcissistic and treacherous behavior,” the Bayelsa APC elders added.

Hardship Protest: Bayelsa APC elders tackle Diri over anti-Sylva statement