Mend To Monitor Bayelsa Guber Election In The Creeks

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has said it is sending 500 of its members to monitor the December 5, 2015 governorship election in Bayelsa State, especially in the creeks.

This is as the group endorsed the second term ambition of the incumbent Governor and governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson, saying that the Ijaw people are solidly behind him in the forthcoming election.

MEND, in a statement signed by its acting chairman in Rivers State, Prince Amaibi Horby, popularly known as ‘General Busta Rhymes’, and 12 others, which was made available to newsmen in Port Harcourt, said Dickson has performed creditably in office, having driven development to the hinterlands.

The statement reads, “We have endorsed the incumbent governor of Bayelsa State, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson for a second term in office as Bayelsans gear up for the December 5, 2015 elections. Dickson over the years has performed creditably in office as he has driven development to the hinterland.

“The Ijaw people are solidly behind him in this forthcoming governorship election, and we will roll out our members to monitor the election in the state, especially in the vast creeks of Bayelsa where we are deep-rooted to avoid intimidation and possible rigging by the enemies of Ijawland and their Abuja collaborators.

“We wish to admonish President Muhammadu Buhari, not to engage election riggers in the governorship election as such vicious and surreptitious antics shall not only be vehemently resisted but may also lead to waking the sleeping dog from its rest.

“We call upon the United Nations and indeed the international community to bear us witness as we are not unaware of the planned use of ‘federal might’ to intimidate the people of Bayelsa State in favour of their chosen candidate.”

It stated that the governor is a product of the Ijaw struggle for resource control and self-determination in the Niger Delta region, before venturing into active politic, pointing out that so far, he has contributed immensely to the vast socio-political and economic development of the Ijaw nation.

The group said, “We are mustering total support for him because he is a product of the Ijaw struggle for resource control and self-determination in the Niger Delta. So far, he has contributed immensely to the vast socio-political and economic development of the Ijaw nation.

“We direct our members across the landscape of their region to drive their vehicles and paddle their canoes behind the umbrella of PDP and vote for Governor Dickson in the December 5, 2015 elections to protect the sanctity of our collective struggle, which Governor Dickson pro=actively represents.”