Ex-militant leader urges Ijaw women to register

By Akpokona Omafuaire, Samuel Oyadongha
WARRI—DELTA State Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, and two governorship aspirants in the state, Prof. Saliba Mukoro and Mr. Collins Eselemo of the National Conscience Party, NCP, weekend, tasked the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to ensure that all eligible voters in the state were registered despite the hitches in registration exercise.

Uduaghan, who made the plea while monitoring the registration exercise in the state, urged Deltans to be patient with the electoral body.

Also Mukoro, who monitored the exercise in Ughelli, Bomadi, Ehwen, Emevor, Ozoro Oleh, Asaba, Sapele and several other towns, expressed delight that there was much enthusiasm on the part of people to register, which  explained the large turnout.

At the Ekigbo Town Hall and other registration centres in Ughelli, Mukoro thanked the people for their patience and urged them to continue to cooperate with the registration officials.

Some hitches were observed in some centres which slowed down the exercise. At the centre where Mukoro registered in Emevor, the registration officer complained of lack of ink in the printer. Mukoro directed his aides to make ink available to the officer.

“I have gone round to see how the people are registering; I think people have responded well by turning out en masse. A part from a few hitches the exercise is going on smoothly. One of the centres complained they don’t have ink and I have arranged to get ink for them”, Mukoro said.

On arrival at the first registration centre located in Uzoigwe Primary school Asaba, Governor Uduaghan observed how the exercise was carried outbefore finding out the progress made so far.

Ex-militant leader urges Ijaw women to register

Yenagoa—Former  militant leader, Eris Paul, popularly known as Commander Ogunboss has tasked women groups in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State to intensify the campaign for the mobilization of women and youths in the area to register in the on going voters’registration exercise.

The former militant, who urged the women and youths of the council  to come out en masse and register, said that was the only way to ensure the re-election of Governor Timipre Sylva and President Goodluck Jonathan in the April polls.

Ogunboss told the women, under the aegis of the Virtuous Women of Peremabiri, that “they must reach out to other women to register and it will empower them to translate their support for the Sylva and Jonathan administration to votes in 2011.”

He announced the donation of a speed boat with 75 horse power engine to the women to assist in their mobilization efforts for the voter registration exercise and the advocacy of peace in the area.

“This is part of the available five speed boats provided for women and youths to move to Peremabiri community and register,” he said.
Responding on behalf of the women groups, the leaders of the Virtuous Women of Peremabiri including the Secretary, Madam California Olotu, the Leader, Madam Ethy Samuel and the spokesperson, Madam County Adams, said their meeting with the ex_militant leader was part of their effort at reaching out to the leaders of the community and political appointees in the state to recognize that the people of the area should be carried along in governance.

The women group offered prayers for the successful conduct of the 2011 polls and the victories of Governor Timipre Sylva and President Goodluck Jonathan during the forthcoming general elections.

They also commended the wife of the Bayelsa State Governor, Mrs. Alanyingi Sylva and asked her to recognise their group and include them in her various positive programs for the women of the state.

Madam California Olotu said though the community had witnessed communal crisis for years, “we are now at peace and we felt such existing peace should be translated into empowerment. We have decided to encourage all women and youths of voting age to register and procure their voters cards.”