Jonathan, others to Bayelsa guber aspirants: Subscribe to conduct of peaceful poll

AHEAD of governorship poll holding in Bayelsa State later in November, the Ijaw Elder Forum (IEF), Lagos State chapter in collaboration with other groups in the region, has charged all gubernatorial aspirants on the need for them to subscribe to the conduct of a peaceful election.

This was just as they declared that none of the aspirants should seek to provide leadership and governance on the blood of fellow Bayelsans.

The other groups, which made the call in a communique issued at the end of a 1-day Workshop on Credible Governorship Election and Good Governance in Bayelsa State and attended former President Goodluck Jonathan, among others, are: Ijaw Professionals Association (IPA), Ijaw Nation Forum (INF), G24 Embasara Foundation and Ijaw Women Connect (IWC).

The leaders also through the copy of the communique made available to newsmen, called on Bayelsans to reject any candidate who employed violence, provided guns to kill fellow Ijaw men and women for purposes of becoming next governor in Bayelsa.

“All aspirants for the office of governor of Bayelsa State must subscribe to the conduct of peaceful elections. No aspirants should seek to provide leadership and governance on the blood of fellow Bayelsans.

“Bayelsans must reject any candidate who employs violence, provides guns to kill fellow Ijaw men and women to gain ascendancy to the seat of power as governor of Bayelsa State,” the communique said.

The communique, while sadly noting that development of the Ijaw nation had not in any form been commensurate with the depth of resources endowment in the land, said it was indeed a reflection of leadership challenges.

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“The recourse to violence during elections offers far-reaching negative consequences for our development as a people as it puts to question the critical essence of leadership in Bayelsa State,” it said.

The communique said it was the resolve of the participants to change the trajectory of unaccountable leadership that inspired the production of the Ijaw Charter and Code of Ethics, Leadership and Governance, which overall intent was to entrench the fundamentals of good, accountable, transparent and participatory governance to engender peace, security, social inclusion and justice for sustainable economic growth and development.

This was just as it contended that government of inclusive and accountability required the enthronement of transformational leadership that upholds meritocracy, capacity, competence, vision and drive

“Every person aspiring to provide leadership to be the governor of Bayelsa State must eschew violence at all level times; we must not seek to be elected through the use of guns,” the communique reiterated.

Therefore, participants resolved that the process of sensitising all leaders, senior citizens and aspirants being initiated by the Ijaw Elders Forum be sustained, while also agreeing that effort be made to seek transformational leadership that was integrative and complementary as enlightened people.

“Leadership should not be by one person but must necessarily be complementary,” the participants declared, even as they said: “Education is the most important weapon every leader should focus upon to advance a people-driven government.”

The parley, according to the communique, also had in attendance Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah (retd), General Paul Alaowe, Arch Amagbe Denzil Kentebe, Chief Atamuno Atamuno, Dr Erepamo F Osaisai, Chief Timi Alaibe, Dr Tam George, Mrs Ebizi Ndiomu-Brown, among others.