Bayelsa: Ijaw leaders give conditions for endorsing guber candidates

Akam James, Yenagoa

Leaders of the Ijaw nation have given conditions that must be met before endorsement to all aspirants in the forthcoming gubernatorial elections in Bayelsa state.

The leaders from all works of life including some of the guber aspirants made their views known, during a one-day workshop on credible governorship election and good governance in Bayelsa state with the theme: “Building consensus through the Ijaw charter and Ijaw nation code of ethics, leadership and governance” in Yenagoa, the state capital.

In a communiqué issued after the conference, the participants noted that “the development of the Ijaw nation has not in any form been commensurate with the depth of resource endowment in Ijaw land and this indeed, is a reflection of leadership challenges.

“The recourse to violence during elections offer far-reaching negative consequences for the development of the state as it puts to question the critical essence of leadership in Bayelsa state.

“It was the resolve to change the trajectory of unaccountable leadership that inspired the production of the Ijaw Charter and the Code of Ethics, Leadership and Governance, which overall intent is to entrench the fundamentals of good, accountable, transparent and participatory governance to engender peace, security, social inclusion and justice for the sustainable economic growth and development.

“A government of inclusivity and accountability requires the enthronement of transformational leadership that upholds meritocracy, capacity, competence, vision and drive.

“Every person aspiring to provide leadership, to be the governor of Bayelsa state must eschew violence at all times; we must not seek to be elected through the use of guns.”

The participants also agreed that the process of sensitizing all elders, senior citizens and aspirants being initiated by the Ijaw Elders Forum should be sustained.

“As enlightened people, we should seek transformational leadership that is integrative and complementary; leadership should not be by one person alone, but must necessarily be complementary.

“Education is the most important weapon every leader should focus upon to advance a people-driven government.

“All aspirants for the office of governor of Bayelsa state must subscribe to the conduct of peaceful elections. No aspirant should seek to provide leadership and governance on the blood of fellow Bayelsans.

“Bayelsans must reject any candidate who employs violence, provides guns to kill fellow Ijaw men and women to gain ascendancy to the seat of power as governor of Bayelsa state,” the communiqué added.