Director of Media, Bayelsa chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) Campaign Council, Dr. Perry Tobi Tukuwei, has been declared missing following a boat incident that occurred in Nembe Local Government Area of the state.
It was gathered that Tukuwei was declared missing after the incident that occurred while travelling from Nembe Town to Okoroba Community in Nembe for the party’s governorship campaign.
According to eyewitness accounts, Mr. Tukuwei and two other journalists were onboard a speedboat conveying the medical team of the campaign when the driver lost control as a result of turbulence created by waves and capsized at about 1 pm on Wednesday October 25, along the Nembe Creek leading to Okoroba.
A journalist who was part of the trip and pleaded anonymity, told the Nigerian Tribune that some speedboats conveying journalists, protocol, security and medical team, including the one conveying Mr Tukuwei had left Nembe to Okoroba as advance team to prepare the venue for the arrival of the governorship candidate of the APC, Chief Timipre Sylva when the incident occurred.
According to him, all the occupants of the speedboat, including Mr. Tukuwei, wore life jackets, and all were rescued by the convoy of the governorship candidate, except for the media director who is yet to be accounted for.
“We all boarded separate speedboats from Nembe. When we got to Okoroba, we waited for some hours but the government candidate did not show up. Ordinarily, we felt they had brief stop along the way, so waited. Only for them to come later to inform us that the boat conveying the media director capsized and his body is yet to be found.
“According to the story, because the life jacket was too small for Tukuwei, he failed to buckle it. And that may have been the reason why he drowned. I tend to believe this story because every other passenger on the boat survived except for Tukuwei,” the source said.
Meanwhile, APC Governorship Campaign Council has announced the suspension of its campaign activities billed to hold today in Nembe-Ogbolomabiri and Nembe-Bassambiri, all in Nembe Local Government Area.
According to a statement issued by the state chairman of the party, Dennis Otiotio, it is due to the unfortunate boat mishap which led to the disappearance of the Tukuwei during the party’s campaign in Okoroba Community in Nembe LGA.
