Rivers Of Blood In Bayelsa Over The Struggle For Second Term!

ZION B-BC NEWSLETTER. A Publication of the Zion Faith Bible-Believing Church, Kpeyegyi, Abuja Nigeria. [VOL. 4. NO 127. 17th January, 2016.} “…ONLY The Truth, Will Set You Free! (John.8:32).

RIVERS OF BLOOD IN BAYELSA OVER THE STRUGGLE FOR SECOND TERM !

It was a taboo, until the 10 of January, 2016, when Henry Seriake Dickson broke the jinx which prevented pasts Governors of Bayelsa State, Nigeria , from be ing “elected ” for two consecutive terms in office! The incumbent’s second term which was re alised through supplementary elections which resulted from the inconclusiveness of the main elections of 5 December, 2015, was not without heavy bloodshed and the des truction of lives and properties of anyone who stood in the way of the two major gladiators and their armed troops ! No one was spared in the onslaught , electoral officers, security agents –police, army , and the electorate – except the contestants who provided very tight security around themselves and their families! There are now conflicting reports about casualty figure s: t he social media says scores of people were murdered in cold blood similar to the elections that brought Nyeso m Wike of Rivers State to power! The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said up to 17 persons were killed ; All Progressives Congress (APC ), said the figure was higher, while the Nigeria Police said just three people died at the just concluded Bayelsan elections and both parties blame d each other for the mayhem !

The precious blood of the victims of election violence mingled with the crude oil and the rivers of the creeks of Southern Ijaw, Nembe, Ogbia, Brass , Ekeremo r , Sagbama, Kolokuma/Opokuma and Yenagoa Local Government A reas is crying out for justice against those who viciously terminated their existence without any response so far for retribution from any quarters! IS IT A SIN TO BE BORN A NIGERIAN AND BE RESIDENT IN THE COUNTRY AS A LAW-ABIDING CITIZEN? MUST INNOCENT BLOOD BE CONTINUOSLY SPILLED FOR POLITICAL OFFICE RITUALS? SHOULD IT ALWAYS BE A DO-OR-DIE SITUATION DURING THE CONDUCT OF DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS IN NIGERIA? Since 1999 when a new attempt was engendered at fresh democratic experience for an egalitarian society that would produce a situation close to an Utopia in Nigeria, the truth remains that all elections witnessed violence because there wa s much ambition among the greedy politicians who employed the “divide-and-rule tactics to manipulate the anger among the downtrodden ! The battle has been won and lost on a PLATTER OF BLOOD of the innocent and poverty-stricken Bayelsans whose shallow graves litter the entire crude oil terrain while those who murdered them in cold blood “popped champagne bottles Children of the poor were denied all forms of education because governmen ts reneged on political manifesto promise s to provide free primary/ secondary and affordable tertiary education to all youths of school age instead they were maligned through consistent non-payment of salaries and emoluments of teachers who usually took advantage of such situation to embark on indefinite strikes that in many cases erased entire annual academic sessions ! Ni gerian childre n of the rich and affluent on the other hand always enjoy ed uninterrupted school calendar in very expensive private institutions at home and abroad while their unfortunate counterpart s were forced out of school to become militants, insurgents and terrorists with external affiliations within the country and the county’s porous bo r ders !
This is the REALITY that the present administration has to grapple with! There is the Boko Haram terror in the Northern States, the Militants of the South-South, the Biafran ag itators of the South East and the Oodua Confraternity of the South West to complete the vicious circle of blood-letting in Nigeria ! The late D iepre ye Ala miey e seigh a, who was the first democratic governor of Bayelsa State , which was created by late General Sanni Abacha, in 1996, was convicted and jailed for corruption, embezzlement of public funds and money laundering in his first term and subsequently impeached ; Ebele Jonathan, who was his deputy stepped in to his shoes and did one term before his elevation to the position of vice president at the Federal level ; Tim ipre Sylva who took over from Jonathan also spent one term of four years and was replaced by the incumbent re-elected governor during the primaries that could have given him (Sylva) a second chance ! The Bayelsa State gubernatorial election scenario was therefore nothing short of the battle of Titans who had once tasted and enjoyed the juicy political apple of power and influence but never had the opportunity of a second bite , which they could be entitled according to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, if so re-elected! The battle has been won and lost on a PLATTER OF BLOOD of the innocent and poverty-stricken Bayelsans whose shallow graves litter the entire crude oil terrain while those who murdered them in cold blood “popp ed champagne bottles ” on the streets of Yenagoa and at all the numerous eateries and r estaurants where free drinks fish and “ogufe” pepper soup plates were de clared for the murderers and those who cared less about the mass shootings and killings of the Creeks! Proliferation of small weapons, fire arms and ammunitions had been the hall mark of the South-South Geo-political Zone since the days of militancy of the Movement for the Emancipation the Niger Delta (MENDS), era to date ; which proves that the Amnesty Policy of late President Umaru Musa Ya’Ardua/Jonathan’s tenure was nothing short of a Fluke - a Lie!

Where did the weapons used for the ma ssacre of innocent Nigerians during the general elections of 2015 in Niger Delta emanate from? Of course the militants were very clever to surrender old, di suse , rusty and dilapidated weapons in exchange for billions of “AMNESTY NAIRA” and hid the most da ngerous, sophisticated and state-of-art artillery away for the unfolding scena rios we have witness ed in our election s ! Imagine the boldness and eff r ont e ry of the militants against law-enforcement agents, some of whom they gunned down in t hose elections! What measures should the Nigerian Electorate emplo y t o stem all of t hese unfolding, recalcitrant, very painful and negative experience s of LEADERSHIP/RULERSHIP BY FORCE being forced down the throat of Nigerians in every election no matter how isolated ? First , the electorate must ensure that primaries for the selection of candidates of the va rious parties were righteously c o nduc ted. Second, thorough investigations must be carried out on the resume submitted by candidates to establish the authenticity of claims in res pect of pedigree and antecedent ! Third, candidates must have guarantors (eminent, distinguished, and respected citizens) who would vouchsafe for their character and mien for peaceful conduct before, during and after primaries to ensure that whoever emerged as winners would be acceptable to all. Fourth , all participants must cue behind party’s flag bearer s and give full support for safe conduct and behaviour whether election was won or lost. The kind of show of power that was exhibited before, during and after the elections in that small State of only eight local council a reas, was unprecedented , unbridled, unimaginable and uninhibited, in spite of the fact that, Bayelsa, is the home state of former President Ebele Jonathan and Elder Statesman, Edwin Clark his god-father ; because the issue of armed militants on bo th sides of the divide was an acceptable norm in the isolated do-or-die gubernatorial elections! The elections have come and gone but the pains , agonies and bitterness left behind through testimonies of the RIVERS OF BLOOD shed by gladiators will linger forever!

PDP’S Admission - Our Victory Was Painful:
PDP has congratulated the people of Bayelsa State for their support for its candidate, Governor Henry Seriake Dickson, which led to his victory at the just-concluded governorship election of Saturday 9 , January, 2016. The PDP however said the victory was painful because of the number of those that were killed. “It’s painful that this victory has come with so much pain because we lost dear ones. Those who died are our brothers. So many are yet in the hospitals nursing life threatening injuries because our opponents wanted to win at all cost. We wish to express our deepest condolences once again and to assure them that their death will not be in vain,” it stated. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), declared the incumbent Governor winner sequel to the conclusion of the supplementary elections earlier postponed from 5 December, 2015, due to violence and bloodshed mostly in the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the State.

The All Progressives Congress (APC), Governorship candidate had rejected results of the Supplementary Elections; APC: 86.852; and PDP: 134.998; and will head for the Tribunal to seek redress which will not resurrect the INNOCENT dead Bayelsans! Ijaw Leader, Chief Edwin Clark , made the following statements dur in g a press conference in Abuja on 13 , January, 2016, when the “dee d had been done” ! “ Conduct of the elections was not only a disgrace but a show of shame; b oth contestants for PDP and APC (who were former governors of the State), lacked basic knowledge about democracy. They and their supporters are non- democrats but power grabbers. Power belo n gs to the Almighty God. He gives it at each given time to whoever He wishes. The violence was caused by their desperation and greed; having governed the State before both should hav e allowed the electorate peaceful vote prevail !” Although the word of God which says, “Thou shalt not kill”; is completely lost to the thugs and militants, we need to remind them that though they walk free today, divine judgment and vengeance will surely and definitely catch up with them tomorrow!

He also said that both men could not be exonerated from blame and advised Sylva to accept the results and that Henry should extend hand of fellowship. “If a son of Ijaw land can prevent nation wide bloodshed by conceding def eat , why can’t we replicate the same at home and display uncommon courage ?” Chief Edwin Clark’s god - son has not said a word, for or against the trending ugly issue but we need to ask Dr. Ebele Jonathan if , “the blood of one Nigerian was worth the ambition of Dickson whom he and his wife endorsed as their preferred candidate! The Dickson ’s election was a replica of Nyesom Wike’s of Rivers State who Mrs. Patience Jonathan physically and vigorously campaigned for and in which much blood was shed for his victory to be accomplished at all cost! Although the word of God which says, “Thou shalt not kill”; is completely lost to the thugs and militants , we need to remind them that though they walk free today, divine judgment and vengeance will surely and definitely catch up with them tomorrow! “ Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made He man.” [Genesis. 9:6]. Please look forward to more divine revelation in the next edition of Zion B-BC Newsletter as you share this with friends and remain blessed in the

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If you have not accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour, don’t miss this great opportunity as you pray this prayer: Lord Jesus; I confess that I am a sinner who needs to be saved through the grace of the New Testament of your Blood, shed on the Cross at Calvary; I renounce every sin in my life and accept you as my Lord and Saviour. Please forgive me and write my name in the Book of Life. Amen. If you prayed this prayer, you have been admitted into the family of sons and daughters of God, who are born-again. Congratulations. I am, yours sincerely, Dr. David B.A. Olufon, Resident Pastor and Editor. 08130669886, 08098194390. 08080243066 g-mail- dvdolufon@gmail.com .