Niger Delta militants meet in Yenagoa, threaten war should Jonathan lose presidential election

Prominent Niger Delta militants have vowed to ensure that President Goodluck Jonathan wins the February 14 presidential election.

Mr. Jonathan is of the Ijaw ethnic stock, and the only member of a minority tribe from the South to have ever governed Nigeria.

The former militants, who said any attempt to dethrone the President would be seen as a direct attack on the Ijaw nation, threatened to unleash violence on the country and take back Niger Delta oil should Mr. Jonathan lose re-election.

According to them the President’s victory in the election is not negotiable.

The former militant leaders took the position Friday in Government House, Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, at an enlarged meeting that was attended by all the former militant leaders and their followers across the Niger Delta region.

Among those in attendance were Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, leader, Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force; Victor Ben Ebikabowei, aka, Boy Loaf; and Government Ekpudomenowei, aka, Tompolo.

Also in attendance were the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, and chairman of Amnesty Implementation Committee, Kingsley Kuku; Bayelsa state Governor, Seriake Dickson and his deputy; President General of Ijaw Youth Council, Udengs Eradiri; among others.

Addressing the meeting, Dokubo-Asari deplored the alleged intimidation being meted to the people of Ijaw stock in Nigeria, saying the people cannot take it any longer.

”For every Goliath, God created a David. For every Pharoah, there is a Moses. “We are going to war. Everyone of you should go and fortify yourself,’’ he said.

He advised those at the meeting to be ready for the battle ahead and declared that Mr. Jonathan would win reelection.

Mr. Dokubo-Asari, who condemned the attack on Jonathan in the north in the ongoing presidential campaigns, maintained that the survival of the Ijaw nation rests in the hands of the militants gathered at the meeting…

– Premium Times