Less than two months before next year’s general elections, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) has warned all opponents of President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election bid in the north to desist or face their wrath.
The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that the IYC made the statement in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, through its spokesman Eric Omare, saying that all Nigerians, irrespective of their places of origin, have a right to contest for the presidency and also have the right to support any candidate of their choice without molestation.
Omare condemned the reported threat by some radical elements in the northern part of the country to pro-Jonathan governors and other supporters of the president’s re-election bid in the North, saying it was an invitation to anarchy
The group said: “The attention of the IYC worldwide has been drawn to a publication in several national newspapers on Sunday, December 21 to the effect that some radical elements in the northern part of the country are sending open threat messages to pro-Jonathan governors and other supporters of President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election bid in the North threatening to ruthlessly deal with them if they continue with their support for President Jonathan against General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) in the 2015 presidential election.
“The IYC condemns in the strongest terms the threats and the desperation of supporters of Buhari in the North to take over the leadership of Nigeria at all cost in 2015.
“We state that such open threats, especially coming from a ranking member of the National Assembly is highly undemocratic and an invitation to anarchy.”
In a related development, the Urhobo Youth Initiative Movement had last week described comments circulating the Social Media zone about the Urhobo people and Ijaw kinsmen as absurd and self serving.
According to the movement, there is an SMS been circulated by some people who claim to be speaking for the Urhobos and making inciting comments about Ijaw people.
In a release signed by Mr. Obaro Akpomiemie for Urhobo Youth Initiative Movement, he described the said comments as absurd and a grand design by some people paid to plunge Urhobo nation into hate with her neighbours.