The leader of the Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force, NDPVF, Mujahideen Asari-Dokubo, on Wednesday said Niger Delta youths will respond in like manner to the attack of President Goodluck Jonathan’s convoy in Katsina by some thugs.
While speaking at a press conference in Abuja, Asari-Dokubo said it was not necessary for President Goodluck Jonathan to have entered any peace accord with the All Progressives Congress’s (APC) presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari and other presidential candidates.
“We will respond. That’s what we are going to do. If you hit me with a stick, I am going to hit you with iron. I am not speaking in riddles. I am speaking in plain language. My English may not be very good. I am speaking in my own street language. We are going respond disproportionately and we are apologetic.The people who are in Katsinah who did not hold their children should also know that I will not hold my children”, he said.
He also warned Igbos and members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) serving in the North to return to their respective states before next month’s general elections.
Asari-Dokubo insisted that northerners had always resorted to violence whenever election results did not favour them.
“There is an established pattern of pre and post election violence in the north. In the 50s when late Awolowo was campaigning in the north, he went with helicopters and he was mocked. People said he was flying over the houses and peeping their wives. That has continued and everywhere in the country, people say leave them alone. We don’t want any trouble. But I think the game has changed. The rules of the game have changed.
“For every action, there will be an opposite and equal reaction. I knew that the signing of the accord was useless and that the president subjected himself to sign such an accord. For me, it was out of place for a president and commander in chief of the armed forces of a country. But the president is a humble person. He does things that even marvel some of us and make us sometimes to be very angry.
“To be frank, I was very angry on that day they were signing it. The president has sworn to protect the lives of every Nigerian. So, why would he after taking a constitutional oath subject himself to another oath?
“So what happened in Katsinah is not a surprise. But don’t be surprised. We are putting the world on notice that they have started first. When we reply, let no body talk. Because we are going to reply. We did not sign any accord with them. They did not sign. They are talking about about election violence now because they know that other people will respond.
“Before, they had the monopoly of violence, so nobody cared who died. Our lives were not valuable and they had all the latitude to wreck havoc and did what they liked. But the game has changed. Be bold enough to tell them that game has changed. If they slice our throat, we are going to slice your throat. They stoned the president, you will hear from us. That’s the answer.
“My concern is what happens after the election because we know they will do what they are known to do every time. But this time, they will cry. So all Igbo people who are there, if you don’t come back home and you want to continue to be there and something happens to you, there is nobody to be blamed. If you have a child who is a youth corper and you allow him to be there, you will not hold anybody responsible.”
Reminded that Buhari has repeatedly dissociated himself from violence, Asari said “He is a liar. This is the same man who said that the blood of monkeys and baboons will flow on the street. He sounded a note of warning in clear terms. Who are the monkeys and the baboons? He has not explained to us. So, for him now to say whatever he says, that is his business.They burnt president Jonathan’s campaign vehicles in Jos and they were singing “sai Buhari oyoyo”. Why is it that violence is always initiated by the people shouting his name?”
He however said that there would not be violence unless the north “asks” for one.
“I assure you, nothing will happen anywhere if they do not initiate violence. Did we ask them to stone the president yesterday? Do you want us to fold our arms so that they will kill him? Let them stop the violence. When they do, we will stop. A situation where Shakua will stand and say Niger Delta we are coming for you. Goodluck I am coming for you. You are a man and I am a man. We are going to look at each other eyeball to eyeball. You can shoot and I can shot. You can kill and I can kill. You can destroy and I can destroy.
“The question is not for me. It is for Buhari, el-Rufai, Shakua. They are the people you have to direct this question to. Go and ask Buhari why he allowed his people to stone the president and commander -in-chief in Katsinah. There must be balance of terror. One person does not have the prerogative to kill, main and destroy.
On the preparedness and readiness of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to conduct the polls, Asari said INEC was not ready. He however did not support the idea of postponing the elections
“From what INEC has done so far, it is not because of the violence, so many people have not collected their PVC. Look at the “ojoro”that is going on in INEC. Twenty of the twenty seven local governments in Borno are in the hands of Boko haram but more people have collected PVCs in Borno than in Abia state where there is no crisis.
“For me, let every person be allowed to vote without PVC. If we are going to use the PVC, then INEC is not ready. But I am not calling for the postponement of the election. We will win the election decisively. On the 14th of February, there will be “failbuhari” and will win decisively.
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