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From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Since the return to democracy in 1999, Bayelsa State has had an unpleasant experience with electioneering and elections. No election cycle is complete without bullets, blood and brigandage featuring not as a footnote but as a major part of the electoral process.
The electoral violence which keeps increasing at every electoral cycle assumed a worrisome dimension in 2019. During the 2019 general elections, two people were killed in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area and political clashes in Yenagoa, Nembe and Brass Local Government Areas left many people injured, while some people were banished from their communities. Later in 2019, a few days to the governorship election, violence erupted at a campaign rally in Nembe and over 22 were reportedly killed. Some of the dead were allegedly thrown into the River. Among the dead was a Police Inspector deployed to provide security in the area and the OB Van driver of the state owned Radio station. About 195 people sustained varying degrees of injuries, while 350 people reported missing properties.
However, since he assumed the position of governor albeit in a miraculous manner, Governor Douye Diri has been preaching political tolerance. Like his predecessor, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson who abhorred political brigandage and thuggery, Diri has also discouraged any form of political rascality in the state. Attempts by some factions of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state to introduce political violence into the politics of the PDP was roundly condemned by Diri and the Bayelsa State Police Command had to read the riot act to the parties involved.
Nevertheless, political observers in the state are worried that as the political season gathers momentum with commencement of campaigns, the political landscape could yet be dotted with violence, maiming and killing.
As the number one man in the state, Diri has left no one in doubt on where he stands on political violence. Close watchers of Bayelsa politics are convinced that Diri’s brand of politics breeds ideas and not bullets. He confirmed this in a special broadcast to Bayelsans on October 1, 2022.
He said, “Some people persist in making baseless allegations and weaponizing our legitimate frustrations, fears and uncertainties for political exigencies. But as I have consistently reiterated, we are stronger together. As we make critical choices in 2023 elections at various levels of government, let us be guided by patriotism and eschew violence. We can disagree without being disagreeable. Let brotherly love and the greater good be what the 2023 elections must be about. It must be a conversation about ballots not bullets. The lives of our citizens should not be sacrificed on the altar of the ambition of selfish politicians.”
Also speaking during the funeral ceremony of Mrs Bebeapere Agbedi, mother of Hon Fred Agbedi in December 2022, he cautioned political actors to desist from character assassination and blackmail in their quest for power in the state.
According to him, it was appalling how some politicians in the state have resorted to maligning the character of opposition party contestants and members in the guise of political campaigns. He noted that elections would come and go but the people would remain brothers and sisters.
“Political times are here and there is so much in the air-propaganda, lies and blackmails. The fact that you want political office should not make you malign the character of another person.”
During the 95th weekly State Executive Council meeting, Diri speaking through his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo warned that the state government would want to sit by and allow violence to reign during the elections.
“We also want to use this opportunity to encourage our politicians to play according to the rules. Elections are civil and should not be turned into warfare.
“Government will not sit docile and allow people to perpetuate violence in the name of politics; the government will make sure that the election is won by the votes of the people.”
In a Christmas message to the people, Diri again harped on the need for a violent-free election.
Hear him, “Ahead of the 2023 elections, in the spirit of the occasion of the Christmas celebrations and festivities, I implore politicians in Bayelsa and elsewhere in Nigeria to be tolerant and eschew violent conduct. The election should be a contest of ideas and choices and not an opportunity to settle political scores or an excuse for calumny. Let us seek to enthrone leaders that subscribe to fair contests and reject those who believe that elections should be won no matter the costs. It is not a do-or-die.”
In a New Year message, he re-echoed his thoughts on a hitch-free electoral contest, urging the people to reject violent politicians.
“We must therefore reject those who insist that they will rule not by building bridges of consensus but by brigandage; not by the ballot but by the bullet. In the end, power belongs unto God.”
Taking a cue from Diri, Nembe Divisional Council of Chiefs (NDCC) has warned against any act capable of endangering the Nembe Kingdom during the forthcoming general elections. The NDCC is the statutory umbrella body of all registered War- Canoe Chiefs of all Nembe Ethnic extraction made up of nine federating units within the Nembe Se in Nembe and Brass Local Government Areas. Its position is understandable considering the political carnage that has gripped the Nembe Kingdom in recent past in the name of elections.
After a meeting declared open by King Edmund Maduabebe Daukoru Mingi XII, the Amayanabo of Nembe, an indication of the seriousness attached to the meeting, a communiqué issued appealed to council members to remain neutral during the 2023 electioneering period.
According to the resolution reached, it urged those that want to participate in politics to do so with decorum.
The communiqué reads in part, “Council resolved that the era of tumult and war are over and all internal issues and disagreements should be discussed and settled on a round table.
“Council advised party politicians against acts that would endanger the peace, unity, stability and corporate existence of Nembe speaking people at home and abroad during the campaigns and voting in the 2023 general elections.
“Council advised its members to remain as far as possible in active politics. However, those who participate in active politics should do so with decorum and decency expected of Nembe traditional War-Canoe Chiefs.”
Diri’s gospel of non-violent politics seems to have struck the right chord across party lines. In an interactive meeting convened by the Commissioner of Police, Mr Ben Okolo with political parties in the state, all the political parties were on the same page of a non-violent electoral process in the state.
Speaking on behalf of the PDP, the Vice- Chairman, Mr Tubonah Talbot urged the Police to be up and doing to ensure adequate security during the electioneering process and elections.
“We believe that the Police are law enforcers but most times we find there are some shortcomings on your part when it comes to elections. In my local government, Nembe, it has become a ritual whereby those who hold the butt of the gun drive away other parties that do not hold guns. The PDP candidate for constituency 2 went home just to attend a burial, some hoodlums attacked him. He was given 30 minutes to leave the community. They also banned him from wearing a PDP cap. Nobody can come to Nembe Bassamibiri with PDP material. We believe that the Police need to be on their toes to ensure peaceful electioneering across the state. I plead with the Police to be thorough. For the PDP as the deputy Chairman, we are here to pledge our unflinching loyalty and to assure that we guarantee peaceful elections across the state. That is our word and we would abide by it.”
Mr Piaebi Otokolo of the National Rescue Movement appealed to the Police to deploy enough security personnel to the creeks to ensure peaceful elections.
“I want to appeal to the Commissioner of Police on security. I came from the creeks. Please I want you to have it at the back of your mind that during campaigns, the rural areas need to be protected. During the election too, we need deployment of adequate security in Southern Ijaw. We know what we pass through during campaigns and elections; I am making a serious appeal here. Please help the situation in rural areas and the creeks; we have creeks in Southern Ijaw, Ekeremor, Sagbama, Ogbia, Brass, Nembe. The creeks need to be fully protected.”
Also speaking, Mr Steven Angabaye of the Zenith Labour Party appealed to political parties and candidates not to see the forthcoming election as warfare.
“I have just two appeals, one, to the CP and his personnel, while the other is to the various political parties. Permit me to say this. Politics would come and go, but we are still Bayelsans. “You might be in this political party today and switch to another party in a few years time. Don’t let us see politics as a do-or-die affair. My appeal to everybody is to see ourselves beyond politics. Bayelsa State is a small place; we know ourselves and let us see ourselves as brothers and sisters. Police should help provide adequate security for the election.”
Mr Kenneth Acuna, state secretary, Accord Party also preached against turning electoral contests into warfare.
“I want to appeal to the Police to ensure big parties do not intimidate the smaller parties. I want the Police to take drastic security action to secure every candidate and all the voters. I want the Police to provide security in the riverine areas. The last governorship election in 2019 in some local governments like Nembe was bloody. We are mortal human beings and we should not see elections as warfare”, he said.
Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the state who also doubles as the Chairman of the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Bayelsa State, Mr Brisibe Kpodoh said politicians should be blamed if violence occurred in the state. He said with the new technology introduced by INEC, political parties would find it difficult to manipulate the system.
“I want to appeal to all political parties and candidates to campaign with their ideology and manifesto to the people. Go to the electorate and campaign, BVAS won’t allow any manipulation. The population of Bayelsa is not up to 3 million, why are we fighting each other? Let us play by the rules of the game.”
Can Bayelsa politicians play by the rules and eschew violence as desired by Governor Diri? Time will tell.
