By Brave Dickson
Ahead of the November governorship election in Bayelsa State, some women across the Ijaw ethnic nationality have advocated for a violent free poll.
The women’s wing of the Movement for the Survival of the Izon Ethnic Nationality, made this known at a forum organized to sensitize the people of the region on the importance of peace.
The National Women leader of the group, Amb. Tonbra Kasikoro KilopirIte condemned the use of violence before, during, and after elections, adding that electoral violence had destroyed a lot of precious lives and properties in Ijaw land and beyond.
She said, “The Bayelsa State guber election is around the corner. The resultant effects of thuggery, ballot box snatching, war, and conflict during elections are nothing but devastation, untimely death, poverty, under-development, and hunger which have rendered tens of thousands of people homeless.
“It is time for women to rise up as peacebuilders to say enough is enough to election violence and take all legitimate steps to ensure that the forthcoming governorship election in Bayelsa is void of violence.”
Other quest participants who spoke at the event commended the women’s wing of the group for their steadfastness in promoting peace in their region.
Our correspondent reports that the peace summit had the women across the 42 clans of the group’s central zone in attendance.
