Bayelsas State Governor, Senator Douye Diri has threatened to dethrone monarchs and deregister youth associations of any community where electoral violence occurs.
According to him, monarchs were expected to remain non-partisan and neutral in political activities in their domains.
Speaking at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bayelsa Central campaign flag-off in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, he said the electorate should be allowed to exercise their franchise through the ballot and not under threat of violence and death.
“They said they will use guns again. Can they use guns to chase you out again? Any traditional ruler in whose domain politicians use guns to chase away members of any political party will be deposed. After now, l will take the action through my deputy governor, who is in charge of chieftaincy affairs.
“Youth associations of such areas will also be de-recognised. I mean every word of this warning. Traditional rulers should remain apolitical and our youths have to be disciplined. Politics does not mean killing your brother but to use your voter’s card.”
Speaking on the various litigations by aggrieved party members, Diri pleaded with them to jettison their action, urging them to use internal mechanisms in the party to resolve disputes.
He enjoined those who are aggrieved to sink their differences and unite to make the party more formidable for the upcoming elections.
“I represented the Yenagoa/Kolokuma/Opokuma Federal Constituency for four years before my successor, Prof. Steve Azaiki, took over. Now there is a peaceful transition from Azaiki to Oforji Oboku.
“Our party’s constitution is very clear on such issues – use internal mechanisms to resolve every dispute. We are the same family and l urge you to jettison litigation and come back to the PDP fold.”
The state’s helmsman equally enjoined Bayelsans to turn out en masse to vote for all PDP candidates at the presidential, senatorial and state House of Assembly elections.
He charged party agents, whom he described as the livewire of the party, to be vigilant during the elections while expressing optimism that the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) would go a long way in checking electoral malpractices.
In his remarks, state chairman of the PDP, Mr Solomon Agwana, implored party faithful and supporters to work hard to deliver all its candidates at the elections.
He noted that Bayelsa is a stronghold of the PDP and that under the leadership of Senator Diri, it has worked relentlessly to provide good governance thus giving hope to Bayelsans.
Also speaking, the Director-General, Bayelsa Central PDP Senatorial Campaign Council, Tonye Isenah, said the era of winning elections through electoral violence was over and urged all to take the campaigns to the nook and cranny of the state.
According to him, the Diri administration has made the campaigns easy as it has recorded achievements in infrastructure development and other sectors of the economy.
