Military solution not the way forward, Bayelsa gov insists 

Resorting to the use force as the Nigerian Military has proposed to do if dialogue with the Niger Delta militants fails, is not the best way forward to solving the crisis, Bayelsa state governor, Seriake Dickson cautioned on Wednesday.

The Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, had while appealing to the Niger Delta militants to use democratic means rather than resort to violence to make their demands, said that the Nigerian Army would not hesitate to use force if the dialogue between the Federal Government and militants fail.

The newly emerged militant group, Niger Delta Avengers who have renewed attacks on oil and gas installations in the country, have  continuously denied ongoing dialogue with the Federal Government.

Dickson who said he strongly believes that the ongoing discussions would yield result added that because of the complex nature of the issues in the Niger Delta, the military solution is not right.

“I have said that the issues in the Niger Delta, the terrain, the historic nature of the issues and challenges are such that military solution may not be the way forward. ‎

For us who are products of political system who are at this level, we have a duty to mobilise communal and local leadership, we have a duty to support the work of intelligence and security agencies are doing, we have a duty to ensure that issues are better appreciated and that we fill the communication gap.

And where there are issues those issues need be addressed and is also our duty to network like I’m doing to ensure that problems that are identified as the route cause of some of these challenges are looked into.

“The military solutions as I have always maintained is not the right option, we are hopeful that the ongoing discussions will yield the desired result. I have always been in support of negotiations, of dialogue as the sustainable way forward. Dialogue will bring out the issues and then we will all unite around these common issues to move our country forward” he said.

Fielding questions from journalists at the Presidential Villa after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, the governor said he and the President exchanged ideas on the way to resolve the issues in the Niger Delta.

A tribunal sitting in Abuja, on Tuesday gave a ruling upholding the election of Dickson as proper and valid. The All Progressive Congress (APC) and its governorship candidate, Timipre Sylva, had filed a suit contesting the supplementary election that took place on January 9, 2016 saying it was untidy and alleging manipulation of results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to favour Dickson who is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Commending the President for his non interference in the whole process, Dickson urged indigenes of the state to discountenance reports that Buhari influences the elections of the state. He called on Sylva and other political parties to work with him to move the state forward.

“I came in this afternoon to have discussions with Mr. President. That is because my position has been and I believe that is the right position every political leader should take which is that after general elections political leaders and citizens must unite and address common issues and find solutions to the problems of our country….and we cross fertilized ideas around issues of security.

Of course as you know Bayelsa is central to the maintenance of law and order and stability in our country particularly in the Niger Delta region. Bayelsa is the epic center of the issues that has to do with the Niger Delta. And we had fruitful discussions on the need for political leaders, governmental and political leaders to work together to support the work of the security agencies and foster better understanding of even people who have grievances and that we are committed to do together.

“I also want to use this opportunity to appreciate Mr. President for his non-interference in the political processes that played out in Bayelsa in the last general elections…I want to use this opportunity to call on my opponent, brother and friend and fellow citizen of Bayelsa and all others to join hands with us so that we can render service to our people and a stronger more stable and prosperous Bayelsa” he said.