By Felix Ndiomu, Bayelsa
Traditional rulers , who allowed electoral violence to be perpetrated in their community risk being deposed, Bayelsa Governor, Senator Douye Diri has warned.
He also warned youth associations in the state to steer clear of electoral violence as youth associations in any community where electoral violence occurs would lose its registration.
Senator Diri who spoke at the flag-off of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bayelsa Central campaign in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, said the electorate should be allowed to exercise their franchise without fear of violence and death.
He said, “They said they will use guns again. Can they use guns to chase you out again? Any traditional ruler in whose domain politicians use guns to chase away members of any political party will be deposed. After now, l will take the action through my deputy governor, who is in charge of chieftaincy affairs.
“Youth associations of such areas will also be de-recognised. I mean every word of this warning. Traditional rulers should remain apolitical and our youths have to be disciplined. Politics does not mean killing your brother but to use your voter’s card.”
He seized the opportunity to appeal to aggrieved party members to withdraw court cases against the party.
According to him those who are aggrieved need to sink their differences and unite to make the party more formidable for the upcoming elections.
“I represented the Yenagoa/Kolokuma/Opokuma Federal Constituency for four years before my successor, Prof. Steve Azaiki, took over. Now there is a peaceful transition from Azaiki to Oforji Oboku.
“Our party’s constitution is very clear on such issues – use internal mechanisms to resolve every dispute. We are the same family and l urge you to jettison litigation and come back to the PDP fold.”
The state’s helmsman equally enjoined Bayelsans to turn out en masse to vote for all PDP candidates at the presidential, senatorial and state House of Assembly elections.
He charged party agents, whom he described as the livewire of the party, to be vigilant during the elections while expressing optimism that the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) would go a long way in checking electoral malpractices.
In his remarks, state chairman of the PDP, Mr Solomon Agwana, implored party faithful and supporters to work hard to deliver all its candidates at the elections.
He noted that Bayelsa is a stronghold of the PDP and that under the leadership of Senator Diri, it has worked relentlessly to provide good governance thus giving hope to Bayelsans.
Also speaking, the Director-General, Bayelsa Central PDP Senatorial Campaign Council, Tonye Isenah, said the era of winning elections through electoral violence was over and urged all to take the campaigns to the nook and cranny of the state.
Isenah said the Diri administration has made the campaigns easy as it has recorded achievements in infrastructural development and other sectors of the economy.
