Buhari faces new task in Rivers after Bayelsa

• As military invade local communities 

By SUNDAY ODIBASHI

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari may be confronting new challenges in managing electoral matters in the Niger Delta sub-region; now that the battle shifts to Rivers State after the successful conclusion of the governorship election in Bayelsa State between Saturday January 9 and Sunday January 10, 2016, amidst violence threats from militants’ leaders.
The President had defied all odds to give undue advantage to the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timipre Sylva, against the Peoples Democratic Party and its candidate, Governor Seriake Dickson.
It was revealed to National Daily that in the build up to the Governorship Election in Bayelsa State in December 2015, Sylva with the support of Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State and Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of Transport, allegedly recruited majority militants in Bayelsa State, empowered Michael Jonnie to work for the APC in Bayelsa in the election. Jonnie was the closest ally to the former Commander of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo. The duty of the militants was to unleash violence on innocent citizens, INEC officials, then, rig the election for the APC.
The PDP, it was revealed, recruited militants’ leaders in Rivers and Delta states led by Tompolo for similar mission.
It was revealed to National Daily indicated that the group led Michael Jonnie working for the APC included Iyere Imami, Bony Giwe, General Ajube (Young Shall Grow), Paul Elis (General Ogun Boss), Africa Akpasia (General African), among others.
On the other divide, those led by High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, a.k.a. Tompolo, working for PDP included Poster Lines, Farada Dagogo, Ateke Tom, Suboma Jacklist a.k.a. Egberipapa, General Joshua Makaiwa, Reuben Wilson a.k.a. Pastor, Clever Osei, among others.
They are all MEND leaders from Bayelsa, Rivers and Delta states.
Alhaji Muhajeed Asari Dokubo and Boyloaf were also identified to be in support of Tompolo working for the PDP.
In the December 5, 2015, governorship election, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area was turned into battle field where monumental violence scuttled elections in the local government and few polling units in some other local governments. Report indicated that initial unofficial result was in favour of the APC candidate, an indication that the “Boys” working for the APC fulfilled their agreement.
However, INEC insisted on conducting credible elections in Bayelsa State after the December 6 polls also failed but the January 9, 2016 supplementary elections ended in the final victory of the PDP and its candidate. The security agencies, at the behest of the President, maintained surveillance in Southern Ijaw and other locations to ensure that violence was brought to the minimum during the supplementary election on January 9. Dickson won the election with 134,998 votes to defeat Sylva who polled 86,852 votes.
President Buhari resisted the temptation to compromise the security of the state during the entire process until the will of the people prevailed. Some persons alleged that Buhari had agreement with former President Goodluck Jonathan to leave Bayelsa for PDP but National Daily findings revealed that Buhari was committed to free and fair elections.
Southern Ijaw has the highest concentration of militants in the state and is described as the Headquarters of the militants in Bayelsa State.
Interestingly, the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), in its report, lamented the monumental violence that occurred in the Bayelsa State Governorship Election. Indeed, the TMC declared that the election did not pass the test of credible polls because of the violence that marred certain processes, as the militants were on duty. There were indications that the scale of violence would have been unimaginable if the security operatives had not performed their duties promptly on those election days.
Meanwhile, while both the PDP and APC are awaiting the final outcome of the governorship suit at the Supreme Court, there are reports that certain communities have been under siege. The military were alleged to be invading local communities, harassing and intimidating innocent citizens. While the alleged military invasion of local communities persists, some militants’ leaders were gathered to be rebuilding in Rivers State. They were revealed to have resolved to bring down Bayelsa State if the election was rigged contrary to the will of the people.
The militants have, however, advocated that Buhari should see himself as President of the entire country or all zones.
Perhaps, the major security challenge in Rivers State, according to some stakeholders in the state, is the high level of cultism in the state. Citizens resident in Rivers State have disclosed that the state is the headquarters of cultism in the Niger Delta. The cultists were said to be heavily armed to the capacity that they can carry out monumental violence capable of causing collateral damage in any combat with security operatives.
The Supreme Court may provide relief from violence in Rivers if the final adjuration is in favour of Governor Nyesom Wike of the PDP. Contrary to that, there are indications that President Buhari may be having herculean task of handling the security challenges in the state in any rerun election in Rivers State.