Militants under the auspices of 21st Century Youths of Niger Delta and Agitators with Conscience, yesterday, urged youths and people of Bayelsa State to use their Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs) and not guns to decide the next governor of the state in the November 16 Governorship Election.
In a statement, Leader of the group, self-styled “General” Izon Ebi, said, “The 21st Century Youths of Niger Delta and Agitators with Conscience call on the youths and the good people of Bayelsa State to wear their thinking caps and reflect on the past good, bad and ugly of the eight years of Governor Seriake Dickson’s administration.
“We plead with them to make a wise choice of the kind of leader that they are about to entrust their lives and future as governor because the type of leader that is chosen in the November 16 Governorship Election as the governor of Bayelsa State will determine 80 per cent of our collective future.
“As for we, the 21st Century Youths of the Niger Delta and Agitators with Conscience, we are going to be apolitical and will not be driven by sentiments, but ensure that it will be Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs) that count, not guns, in the November 16 Governorship Election.
“Our sense of reasoning and judgment is not clouded by party affiliation, and we will not go about our activities with sentiments because our agitation is for a better, peaceful, prosperous Bayelsa and Niger Delta for our children and the future unborn,” the group said.
They added, “We want Bayelsans to know that we are all Bayelsans, and there is no need to kill ourselves or turn the election into war because politics is just an avenue to assume leadership to choose the rightful candidate with the required qualification, fear of God, knowledge and capacity to take us to the Promised Land.
“The decision of Bayelsans come November 16 will determine the kind of future we want for our children. It is not all about APC/PDP war, but the individual that has the capacity to deliver because the poverty and the underdevelopment in the land are unacceptable.
“As Bayelsans, we truly need a leader that has the love for Bayelsans and the Ijaw nation, knowledge, fear of God and capacity to deliver, as it was done in Akwa Ibom and Cross River states.
“What we have witnessed so far on ground since the inception of this democratic dispensation since 1999 is not acceptable and what is on ground is not commensurate with the federal allocation that accrued to the state. We want to warn that it is not business as usual because it concerns our future and our children’s future.
“So, anybody or party that is not directly involved and concerned in the peace, development and prosperity of Bayelsa State in the forthcoming election come November 16, 2019, should keep clear and allow Bayelsans choose their preferred leader with their PVCs, not guns.
“We also use this medium to call on the Federal Government, state government, political parties and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be guided by their conscience and the fear of God to do the right thing, and not plunge the state and the Niger Delta into another round of killings, militant agitation and destruction of oil facilities.