Ahead of Saturday’s governorship and the house of assembly elections, there’s palpable anxiety in Gbaramatu kingdom of Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State over two military jets said to be hovering around the kingdom.
A resident of the area told Tribune Online on phone, Friday afternoon, that the two fighter jets were flying a few feet above the sea level in Oporoza, the country home of the former agitator, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo and Kurutie.
The informant, who identified himself as Comrade Saturday David, said the unusual presence of the war jets has begun to send fears down the spines of the electorate in that part of the state know which might affect turn-out on Saturday.
“Military jets, two of them, have been flying over Gbaramatu kingdom since Friday morning.
“There’s panic everywhere as some of our people are beginning to flee the area as they are not sure of what lies ahead.
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“The jets are flying so low to the ground at Oporoza and Kurutie,” he reiterated on phone with pictorial evidence forwarded to TribuneOnline.
But Comrade Sheriff Mulade, who’s National Coordinator of the Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ), who spoke to TribuneOnline from his village in Gbaramatu kingdom, hesitantly corroborated the presence of the military jets.
The peace-builder, however, played down their presence, saying it was a normal routine for operatives of the military to keep surveillance in the kingdom and should not be misconstrued as untoward.
“It’s not a serious issue. It’s a normal routine, although it coincides with the election. Normally in every society security men keep vigilance and surveillance. It’s normal,” he enthused.
On if the alleged panic situation will not affect voter apathy on Saturday, Mulade said “it will not affect the turn-out of voters. They’ll turn up to vote,” he reiterated.
There has been anxiety across the length and breadth of the Niger Delta, especially Delta State after last Monday’s visit of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and the hierarchies of the All Progressives Congress (APC) during which members of the party in the state requested militarization of the state on Saturday over alleged interference of militants in the last polls.
VP Osinbajo and Comrade Adams Oshiomhole had publicly vowed to accede to their request in order to ensure a free, fair, credible polls that, which they insisted, must be in favour of APC governorship and other candidates to end the reign of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the oil-rich state.
The military could be reached for reaction on the development as of the time of filing the report.
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