Former President Goodluck Jonathan has urged the people of Bayelsa State to vote against any candidate who promotes violence during the forthcoming governorship election in the state.
Jonathan vowed to be part of the electorate that would mobilise and reject violence in the governorship election in the state.
He made the call in Yenagoa, the state capital, as special guest of honour at a leadership workshop/conference on Credible Governorship Election and Good Governance in Bayelsa State organised by the Ijaw Elders Forum, Lagos in collaboration with Ijaw Professionals Association, Ijaw Nation Forum, G24 Embasara Foundation and Ijaw Women Connect.
Jonathan stated that after the primaries of all the political parties, all the governorship candidates must be prevailed upon to face the people and pledge not to engage in violence.
He called on all leaders of the Ijaw nation to stand behind the people to reject violent conducts during the election.
According to Jonathan: “For those that want to lead us politically, they must try as they can to play down violence. All those that want to lead us as the governorship elections are coming, they should play down violence.
“We should come together as Bayelsans and tell whoever wants to rule us that we won’t accept violence.
“If anybody uses violence, we would stand by the people till the end.
“After the primaries of the political parties all the candidates should come and pledge in our presence that they would not be involved in violence during the elections. Nobody should expect us to elect him as the governor of Bayelsa State if one person dies during the election.”
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has fixed November 16 for the governorship election in the state.
