Katsina Stoning: Niger Delta “ll retaliate, says Dokubo Asari

ABUJA – Leader of Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer
Force, NDPVF, Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo-Asari
Thursday reacted to the attack on the convoy of
president Goodluck Jonathan by some irate youths
in the state during a campaign rally on Tuesday,
saying the Niger Delta would respond in due
course.
Asari also warned the Igbo and the members of the
National Youth Service Corps, NYSC who currently
reside in the north to return home as they would
have themselves to be blamed should anything
happen to them.
The NDPVF leader while addressing a press
conference in Abuja faulted the Abuja peace accord
entered into by President Jonathan and the
presidential candidate of the All Progressives
Congress, APC, General Mohammadu Buhari with
12 others, saying it was unnecessary.
Going into memory lane, Asari recalled that the
north has always had the penchant for causing
election violence.
“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.”
Asari who was also the former President of Ijaw
Youth Council, IYC, reiterated his stand on victory
for president Jonathan, saying he would win the
February polls.
“There is no way Goodluck will not win the
election. We will win them and we know they are
preparing for violence in consonance with some
foreign powers. When they do that, we will respond
disproportionately. 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.
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.”
On the saga trailing the academic qualification of
Buhari, the Niger Delta activist challenged the
presidential candidate to produce his WAEC
certificate.
“A man rose to the rank of a General in the Nigeria
army with a note from a principal that this man is
in Form six, he will pass English, Mathematics,
etcetera, he should be recruited and commissioned
into the army. A year after this Mr. Saint deposited
an affidavit that he has a WAEC result which has
not been found. He said the military board has my
result. Where on earth do you give your original
certificate to your employers?” He asked.