THE last may not have been heard of the fierce battle among armed groups for the control of Southern Ijaw Local Government ahead of the supplementary election fixed by the Independent Nation al Electoral Commission (INEC) as part of the process of concluding the gubernatorial election in Bayelsa State. Feelers available to National Daily indicate that two ex-militant leaders, Alhaji Mujahidin Asari Dokubo and one General Africa are daggers drawn for an epic battle during the supplementary poll even though INEC is yet to announce a date for the exercise.
Asari Dokubo, leader of the Niger Delta Volunteer Force a rabid supporter of incumbent Governor Sierake Dickson of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) while General Africa, real name, Africanus Akparasia stands solidly behind former Bayelsa Governor and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Timipre Sylva.
Both ex-militant leaders reportedly fought bitterly for the control of Southern Ijaw Local Government and across the state in the December 5, 2015 Governorship election, although it was gathered that Asari-Dokubo had to enlist the superior might of another ex warlord, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, aka as Tompolo before the PDP triumphed in six out of the seven local governments whose results were declared by INEC.
INEC however cancelled the election in Southern Ijaw, thereby declaring the governorship election inconclusive. A supplementary exercise is expected at a later date, prompting a fresh rivalry and face off between the two main warlords.
Security agents, particularly the military were alleged to have played a suspicious role ostensibly in cahoot with the APC candidate at the alleged instance of the Presidency.
The latter allegation prompted Alhaji Dokubo to threaten President Muhammadu Buhari that he, and other ex-militant agitators may be forced to return to the trenches unless the military was cautioned and ordered to withdraw from taking a partisan role in the forthcoming supplementary election.
According to a statement by Asari, the ploy by the federal government to install APC governorship candidate, Timpreye Sylva is against the will of the people. He stated that any action in this direction will lead to crisis that will make Boko Haram t be described a child’s play.
Asari said, “If by next week the Federal Government does not hands off from the Bayelsa polls by allowing the people to freely choose their leader but still interfering through the observed various guises and deception, then we would have no option than to return to the creeks to press for our rights as patriotic citizens being unduly oppressed and dehumanized all in the name of politics.
”We have said it before that President Buhari is executing an anti-Ijaw agenda and his aim is to steal our God-given resources to rebuild the north destroyed by Boko Haram. That is why he is hell-bent on manipulating the electoral process in Bayelsa State and hand it over to the APC. They are exploiting Sylva’s greed and desperation for power and therefore using him to carry out their evil agenda. But we want them to know that this country will go up in flames if they try it.
”Boko Haram will be a child’s play if President Buhari and his APC think they can upturn the people’s mandate. It would be a grave injustice which can never stand. We are Ijaw people and we have never been conquered”.