By Gabriel Ewepu

ABUJA- A youth group under the auspices of Bayelsa Youth Leaders Forum, BYLF, has called for peace and transparency in re-run election to be held on Saturday January 9, 2016 in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

Hon Ben Bara Ogidi

Coordinator, BYLF, Hon Ben Bara Ogidi, said it has become important for youth and electorates in the area to maintain peace and behave maturely to ensure a smooth electoral process that will decide who becomes governor of the state in 2016.

Ogidi said: “We in Bayelsa Youth Leaders Forum, BYLF, is a non partisan youth group, but we believe in transparency and good leadership by elected public officers. “We are not happy with the violence recorded in the recent Governorship election conducted in the State. It was very worrisome to us as most youths were used to perpetrate violence and election malpractice. We want youth in the local government area to maintain peace and ensure there is no violence.

“We don’t want the process to be hijacked and also urge the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to conduct a transparent election in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area on January 9, 2016.

“We also enjoin the security agents to be neutral and exhibit professionalism in their electoral duty.” Ogidi also expressed displeasure over the violence recorded during the last election held in the state.

“We want to express our displeasure by some party supporters who armed their youth with dangerous weapons to unleash mayhem with the plan to truncate the electoral process.

“We condemn politicians who have made themselves a terror to the peaceful people of the State who are law abiding and are eligible voters, therefore deprive them of their voting rights”, he added.

Ogidi, who has been on the vanguard of good governance and peace also urged the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Gov. Seriake Dickson and All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief Timipre Sylva to maintain the peace accord signed before the election.