Politics
THE Ijaw Elders Forum and its partners alongside political parties and gubernatorial aspirants on Wednesday in Yenagoa, resolved to fully commit through affirmation to practice publicly all precepts to ensure non-violence election in Bayelsa.
The forum made the resolution in a communique released after a workshop in which a paper entitled “Electoral and the Superstitions of Power’’ was delivered by the keynote speaker, Dr Austin Tam-George.
In the communique read by Mr Charles Ambaowei, a former President of Ijaw National Congress (INC), the forum said that any leader seeking to serve should not use martial weapons of violence on the citizenry.
It said that leaders resort to violence because they hold the people in contempt and have no confidence in the electoral process.
“They perpetrate a culture of impunity and they lack any vision whatsoever much less a compelling message,’’ Tam-George said in the paper.
Fundamentally the focus of the deliberations was on “Election Violence’’ perpetrated in various forms and through several agents. Election violence was roundly condemned by the critical stakeholders at the conference.
Furthermore, deliberations centred on an exploratory basis of possible future sanctions on those who perpetrate electoral violence.
In attendance at the plenary session were: the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa, retired Rear Adm. Gboribiogha John-Jonah, His Royal Majesty King Bubaraye Dakolo, the Ibenanaowei of Ekpetiama, who chaired the conference.
Others are retired Maj-Gen. Paul Toun, Chairman Board of Trustees, Ijaw Professionals Association, Dr Tam-George, a former Commissioner for Information in Rivers, Mr Efiye Bribena, Secretary Ijaw Elders Forum and Mr Tonye Isenah, Speaker of the Bayelsa House of Assembly.
Also in attendance are Mr Initio Wills, Co-convener of Embassara Foundation and Mr Denzil Amagbe Kentebe, Chairman Board of Trustees Embassara Foundation.
Consequent upon the deliberations, some of the aspirants in attendance committed and subscribed to a violence-free electoral process.
The aspirants who committed include: Gboribiogha John-Jonah (PDP), Chief George Ikoli (PDP), Amb. Godknows Igali (PDP), Mr Kemela Okara (PDP) and Mrs Diseye Nsirim-Poweigha (APC).
The organisers subsequently expressed profuse appreciation to all the participants in the one-day workshop, which took place in the Bayelsa capital.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Gubernatorial Elections in Bayelsa will hold on Nov. 16, while the Primaries will hold on Sept. 3.
-NAN
BE
– Aug. 01, 2019 11:15 GMT
Tags: Bayelsa: Ijaw Elders Forum guber aspirants to credible election partners commit political parties
