Bayelsa Mourns As Crash Claims 12 PDP Women

The Bayelsa State Government has suspended all official engagements for three days, following the tragic death of Mrs Elizabeth Allison-Oguru, wife of the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Edmond Allison-Oguru and 11 other Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) women in a multiple ghastly motor accident on Saturday.
The tragedy, which has thrown the entire state into grief and mourning, occurred along Ahoada/Elele section of the East-West Road in Rivers State.
The Bayelsa State Governor, Henry Seriake Dickson, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Iwariso-Markson, expressed deep pains, shock and grief over the sudden death of Mrs Elizabeth and 11 other women.
Dickson described the incident as “tragic, monumental and painful loss to the state”.
Among the dead, The Tide learnt, were former member of the Bayelsa State of Assembly from Brass Local Government and Special Adviser to Governor Dickson, Mrs Ruby Benjamin; former commissioner for women affairs under the administration of Governor Timipre Sylva, Gimbra Panowei; a woman leader from Otuoke community in Ogbia Local Government Area of the state, Madam Consider Amadi, and wife of the proprietor of a popular Montessori School known as Ayakpo International Schools, Mrs Inamamu Ayakpor.
Others are Mrs Ayakura Otolo, wife of the axccountant, Radio Bayelsa as well as a retired permanent secretary, Mrs Acha Pere Kalama.
Earlier reports had claimed that the accident claimed the lives of all the 20 women involved.
But reliable sources told The Tide that eight persons were still alive as at the time of filling this report, and were receiving treatment in hospitals.
A former Bayelse State commissioner and first vice president, National Council for Women Society (NCWS), Mrs Edisenimi Ayabowei is said to be among the eight survivors.
The women, who were members of Mrs Patience Goodluck Jonathan’s female wing of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) known as Women for Change Initiatives, were said to be returning to Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, after seeing off the First Lady to the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa.
The women had earlier visited Mrs Jonathan in her country home, Okrika community in Rivers State, where they had held a meeting to restrategise on the way forward for the forthcoming elections.
It was learnt that tragedy struck when the tyre of a Toyota Siena burst and rammed into the bus carrying the women.
The bus, which, according to eye witness, bore the inscription of the Peoples Democratic Party’s Women for Change Initiatives, immediately went up in flames, leaving nine persons burnt to ashes and three others dead without being burnt.
A preliminary report issued by the Bayelsa State Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Mr. Vincent Jack, said 29 passengers in three separate vehicles were involved in the accident, and 18 persons were reportedly injured, while 11 others were burnt beyond recognition.
The three vehicles involved were identified as a Toyota Hiace bus with registration number ABU 640 AE and Toyota Highlander Jeep with Registration number YEN371RJ.
The FRSC attributed the accident to a tyre burst, adding that, “the injured were taken to Madonna Hospital in Elele by the police who first came to the scene. The corpse of one dead woman was deposited at Depdem Mortuary in Ahoada while the police took another corpse to Rumuji. Nine others were burnt beyond recognition”.
It was, however, a lucky escape for former Commissioner for Transport, Mrs. Marie Ebikake, who was recently sacked by Governor Dickson for alleged disloyalty to his administration.
The Tide learnt that Mrs Ebikake was part of the delegation that visited the First Lady in Okrika, but reportedly drove back to Yenagoa in a separate vehicle.
Our correspondent, who visited the scene of the accident, reports that the charred remains of the victims have been evacuated.
In a statement last night in Abuja, the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, commiserated with the Government and people of Bayelsa State over the death of some of prominent women leaders from the state in a road accident in Rivers State.
The First Lady said that she received the news of the tragic incident with shock, adding that the accident was unfortunate and highly  regretable.
She said that her prayers go to the families of the deceased women, and noted that they had died in active service to the democratic transformation of the state and the nation.

Amanyanabo of Opobo Kingdom, King Dandeson Douglas-Jaja blessing the APC governorship candidate in Rivers State, Dr Dakuku Peterside, during a courtesy visit, recently.