Bayelsa women are scared. They are afraid of losing their husbands, children and relations at the forthcoming December 5 governorship election in the state. They do not want their state to be turned into a theatre of war, bloodshed and brigandage in the name of election.
The fears are genuine. They watched with shock how a primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC), an exercise that was supposed to be a family affair, snowballed into violence and led to shooting, beating, kicking and machete attacks.
They looked helpless as youths advancing the course of their political benefactor in the APC stormed the party secretariat, pulled down billboards, tore posters and banners and caused tension in the Yeni-Zuegene area of Yenagoa; demanding that the state Chairman of the APC, Mr. Tiwe Oruminighe, must be made the running mate of Chief Timipre Sylva.
Besides, the women are terrified over controversies generated by the plan of a group of militants under the auspices of Mangrove Boys of Bayelsa (MBB) to lead a 10,000-man protest against Sylva.
Despite how convincing MBB sounds on maintaining the peace during the protest, the women are nursing fears that such demonstration may lead to a bloody clash between Sylva’s men and the organisers.
The Bayelsa women are yet to recover from the emotional trauma resulting from the war in their neighbouring Rivers State, where youths were mowed down in their prime and properties worth billions of Naira destroyed. It was an election, they recalled, that caused that sicken war.
Such should not be their portion in the only Ijaw homogeneous state.
What will the women do to stop looming electoral violence before, during and after the polls? They are pleading with security agencies to be at alert without compromising the rules of engagements. They are calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to help them keep the peace of the state. The women have also started meeting to sensitise members of the public to the need for a violent-free polls.
In the circumstances, therefore, women from various communities have unanimously decided to pool resources against all forms of electoral violence and intimidation ahead of the December 5 governorship election.
They have gathered themselves under the umbrella of Women of Excellence (WE) coordinated by Mrs. Tari-Ere Gita to present a common front against violence. To this end, a seminar on electoral violence was held on Monday, October 12 at the Cultural Centre, Yenagoa.
Making their positions known, Gita, alongside the Public Relations Officer (PRO), Amaemi Bekeyei-Alaki and the group’s Non-Indigene Coordinator, Alexis Sowunmi, they maintained that all parties to the election should adhere to the rules of engagement.
Gita said: “In recent past, Bayelsa State was smeared by violence, killings, kidnappings, cultism; state machinery was used to sponsor terrorism with political opponents as targets. Perceived enemies of government were not left out. Many indigenes of Bayelsa went into exile in neighbouring states and far-flung places”.
Gita, however, enjoined all the parties to pursue peace and political tolerance, insisting that the election must be held in an atmosphere of civility, law and order.
She called on politicians to desist from heating up the polity. She also urged security agencies to ensure protection of lives and property before, during and after the election. She urged them to arrest and deal with anybody promoting violence in the state.
“We call on President Buhari to direct all relevant security agencies to ensure that people of Bayelsa are spared the anguish of political violence and wanton destruction of lives and property.
“Mr. President must not be seen to encourage or tactically support electoral violence, and must therefore take appropriate steps to ensure that the election is free and fair.
“The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should ensure that the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Bayelsa State is held in accordance with the law and in line with international electoral best practices.
“To our women, our aged citizens and the physically-challenged, we say come out and decide your future on December 5, this year. To our youths, we say shun violence,” she said.
She said WE was established to promote political, economic and cultural dynamism inherent in every woman.
Gita further said the association operates on the platform of unity of its members without prejudice to their educational and social status.
She said the group advocates, among other things, women participation in governance, non-violence against women, strengthening of the home front, legislations, economic empowerment of women and peaceful co-existence.
