Bayelsa Governorship Polls: Ex-Militants leader condemns scramble for militants by APC , PDP

An Ex-Militant leader Mr Ramsey Mukoro has condemned the alignment and re-alignment of forces by militants ahead forthcoming guber polls in Bayelsa as the major political camps have been courting the support of former agitators for the elections.

He therefore advised political parties and aspirants and ex-militants to shun violence in the forthcoming governorship election slated for December 5.

Mukoro, leader of Niger Delta Ex-Agitators Solidarity Front (NDESF) said in Yenagoa that the alignment of candidates with various ex-militant groups was a recipe for violence during the polls.

He appealed to the ex-agitators to remain neutral to avoid over heating the polity and causing fears and apprehension in the mind of the electorates..

Mukoro noted that although it was the right of the ex-militants to support candidates of their choice , it was in the strategic interest of the leaders to keep their political preferences private.

He said that doing so will engender a peaceful atmosphere for the elections to hold and enable the most popular candidate to emerge through a credible process.

He therefore condemned the idea of using ex-militants leaders for political purposes by various political parties during their electioneering campaigns.

“As leaders, I personally feel that we should play the role of peace advocates and ensure that we have a violence free poll, but a situation where politicians are scrambling for endorsement of ex-agitators sends the wrong signals.

“We should refrain from expressing our support publicly, even though it is a rights to do so but it is better we preserve the state rather than spark off violence by our endorsing and expressing open support.

“All the aspirants are our brothers and we are all Bayelsa people, if we all love Bayelsa, we should encourage peace and show support for our proffered candidates by voting for them.

“ The idea of ex-militants grouping along ethnic and party lines suggests that there is going to be a clash and we should all guard against it as it will drag us back to the dark era that we have left behind, we should be making progress,” Mukoro said.