Polls: Ex-militants warn against rigging plot, threaten to return to creek

Former Niger Delta militants have taken practical steps in their efforts to secure victory for President Goodluck Jonathan with the setting up of monitoring groups that will be present in all polling units across the country.
Part of the responsibility of the monitoring group will be to ensure that voters are not harassed or prevented from casting their votes for the candidate of the choice.
The group will also work towards ensuring that nobody tampers with ballot boxes.
The repentant militant leaders, under the aegis of the Leadership, Peace and Cultural Development Initiative, said they decided to be more involved in the electoral process because they were major stakeholders and would not sit and watch people rob the President of victory at the polls.
The President of the forum, Reuben Wilson, said in a statement on Wednesday that their support for Jonathan was constant and warned those who may be planning to instigate violence during and after the elections.
Wilson said they were ready to face anybody or group of persons who may be recruiting people to cause trouble.
He said: “We have a governor boasting that his party will lead civil disobedience if Mr President defeats his party in the March 28 presidential election. They are planning to rig. They are planning to use cloned PVCs with the assistance of some INEC officials.
“We have also heard some people saying that we, the Niger Delta freedom fighters are no more supporting our brother, Goodluck, ahead of the March 28 election. Let them continue to dream. But we wish to inform them that we are aware of their rigging plots and that is why we have decided to form ourselves into monitoring groups to frustrate their agenda.
“Let them be aware that we are not only mobilising people to go and vote, we are also going to vote and will make sure that the votes are counted and be made to count. Nobody, i repeat, nobody will be allowed to do anything stupid with the votes cast.
“Anybody who thinks he will rig this election should have a rethink. Before now, we had said that we will return to the creeks if anybody dares rig Jonathan out. We have not changed our mind. If INEC likes, let them do something stupid. If anybody likes, let them try to rig, we will go back to the creeks and make sure that the oil money they are planning to come and steal does not flow any longer.”
Wilson lamented that certain opposition forces were insisting on stopping Jonathan despite his achievements for the country.
To him, it was ironic that the Niger Delta, which was sustaining the country, would not be allowed to run the country in peace.
He said: “Those who are enjoying our oil wells and the wealth there from cannot like and enjoy our God given oil and gas wealth and then turn around to disrespect and hate us. Since those who claim that they are born to rule us and the ones that claim to be owners of Nigeria have decided to frustrate the second term bid of President Goodluck Jonathan, we too will stop our oil and gas wealth from flowing.
“We hereby refute recent media reports claiming that we have backed down from our earlier declaration on the same issue. Several newspapers wrongly and mischievously reported that we have backed down from our earlier declaration and are now begging Nigerians to vote for Mr President.
“We hereby unequivocally state that at no time did we make such a u-turn or alluded to backing down. We will never back down on our declaration that if President Jonathan is not allowed a second term, we will re-visit the creeks and ensure that our oil and gas wealth is not used to run the Nigerian nation.
“The most annoying fact is that President Jonathan does not give any preferential treatment or recourse to the Niger Delta or its people in his massive and successful transformation programme and projects.
“Those who are frustrating his second term bid are the regions and people that have benefited immensely from his administration at the expense of the Niger Delta and its people. Mr President has been piloting the affairs of this country as a detribalized and national patriot, who does not give his people or his region any form of preference above others.”