In what appears to be a volte face, ex-militants from the nine states of the South-South geo-political zone, have dumped the use of threats and have chosen to persuade voters to support President Goodluck Jonathan.
The ex-militants had met last month in government house Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital and threatened war, should President Jonathan lose his re-election bid.
Under the aegis of the Leadership, Peace and Cultural Development Initiatives, the ex-militants urged the Nigerians to support and vote for the re-election of the President based on the achievement of his administration in the areas of Education, Power, infrastructural development and Security.
After a meeting in Yenagoa, presided over by the group’s National Coordinator, Reuben Wilson, aka General Pastor Reuben in Yenagoa, the ex-militants called on eligible voters to shun the use of hate words and violent utterances among political actors and deliberate on issues of performance.
“We resolved to call on Nigerians, particularly eligible voters, to rate the candidates for the Presidential election based on performance and eligibility
.
“President Goodluck Jonathan has done well and he should be voted in by Nigerians for second term. They should assess him based on performance and not the region he comes from.
“Jonathan has done well. Why are people opposing him? Is it because he comes from the Niger Delta?”
“The people of the South-South and the Niger Delta are feeling bad over the rising insults and poor rating in spite of the huge achievement of the present administration. We advised the opposition party and General Buhari to come out open and declare that President Goodluck Jonathan has done well,” General Pastor Reuben said
The ex-militants said that the Amnesty programme under President Goodluck Jonathan has ensured that over 3,000 youths are trained, while scholarships and skills acquisition schemes had absorbed the hitherto restive youths.
They applauded Mr. Jonathan in the battle against insurgency with the proper procurement of arms and ammunition for the military.
According to the former militants, President Jonathan has ensured the recovery of over N300billion of stolen funds and blocked loop holes in the system that engendered corruption.
The ex-militants maintained that Mr. Jonathan has also done well in the area of roads and infrastructure with the judicious use of Sure-P funds.
On the state governors that defected to the All Progressives Congress, the former militants argued that the bulk of the achievements showcased by the governors should rightly be credited to their stewardship under the Peoples Democratic Party.
They accused the former PDP governors of playing to the gallery without differentiating their achievements in office under the PDP and the APC.
“These governors are deceitful. They should tell Nigerians what they have been able to achieve under the APC.
“They should call their people together and tell them why they should vote for their stooges in the next governorship elections under the APC. All they have achieved in the states under their control was achieved under the PDP”, General Pastor Reuben said.
Source: PREMIUM TIMES
