The Human Rights Writers’ Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) on Tuesday has urged President Goodluck Jonathan to caution his special Adviser on Niger-Delta, Kingsley Kuku and the leader of the Niger Delta Peoples’ volunteer Force (NDPVF) Alhaji Mujahid Asari – Dokubo over their statements that peace would not be guaranteed in the country if Jonathan does not get re-elected in 2015.
In a statement jointly signed by the National Coordinator Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko and the National media Affairs officer, Miss. Zainab Yusuf, HURIWA said such “careless”, “callous”, and “well- calculated” and “divisive” statements of threats against the peace, unity, and stability of the nation for political gains are not protected by the constitutionally guaranteed right to freedom of expression as enshrined in chapter four of the Constitution of the federal Republic of Nigeria of 1999 (as amended).
The statement said “the unprecedented rise in divisive/deadly regional politics and threats of war by 2015 if such aspirations are not met must be institutionally brought under control by the presidency to save Nigeria from full blown anarchy before, during or after the general elections in the year 2015.
“HURIWA strongly condemns the statement credited to erstwhile Niger Delta militants’ Chieftain Alhaji Asari Dokubo that war will break out if the current president is not re-elected come 2015.”
The Rights group therefore “tasked the President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan to immediately call his political supporters like Alhaji Asari Dokubo and presidential Adviser on Amnesty in the Niger Delta Mr. Kingsley Kuku to order, and strongly reprimand them to stop making inflammatory media statements capable of igniting instability and disunity, if indeed President Jonathan still holds firm to his professed ideology of politics without bitterness”.
HURIWA said the “silence of President Jonathan in the last 48 hours since Mr. Dokubo made the threat of war should he (Jonathan) not be re-elected in 2015, is absolutely unacceptable and incongruous just as the Rights group reminded the President that he maintained silence when in 2011 a similar threat was made by some cabals in the North and ever since then instability heightened all around the North”.
Similarly, the Rights group has also asked that President Jonathan as the constitutionally recognized sovereign Head of Nigeria to caution self acclaimed Northern regional leaders such as Adamu Ciroma, Lawal Kaita and a few others who had earlier issued similar threats that the North must produce the president in 2015.
HURIWA said do-or-die politics must be consigned to the dustbin of history if Nigeria is to outlive its centenary of amalgamation between North and South.
HURIWA recalled that few days back, the leader of the Niger Delta Peoples’ volunteer Force (NDPVF) Alhaji Mujahid Asari – Dokubo was quoted to have said that Nigeria will burn if President Jonathan fails to clinch re-election in 2015 and expressed deep concern that the Presidency has maintained grave silence ever since the reckless and inflammatory remark was made and sensationally reported in the popular press.
Asari Dokubo had stated thus; “Recently, the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, Mr. Kingsley Kuku, made a statement in the United States of America that the peace being enjoyed in the Niger Delta will not be guaranteed if President Goodluck Jonathan is not returned in 2015. This statement has been supported by several groups from the region”.
According to Dokubo-Asari; “the statement has been attacked from several quarters, expectedly from the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and others.
I want to go on to say that, there will be no peace, not only in the Niger Delta, but everywhere if Goodluck Jonathan is not president again, by 2015, except God takes his life, which we don’t pray for”.
The Rights group warned the ethnic and regional campaigners to realize that as a democracy, the decision on who would clinch the constitutional mandate lies with the good people of Nigeria who are the electorate even as the Rights group said it was inconceivable and indeed unpardonable that the holder of the highest office of President of Nigeria is watching helplessly as the nation is being torn apart into shreds by irredentists and ethnic bigots who are bent on creating an atmosphere of anarchy and doom.
HURIWA reminded those issuing threats of violence should their ethnic candidate not emerge President in 2015 to take special notice of the provision of section 1(2) of the constitution which clearly and unambiguously stated thus; “The federal Republic of Nigeria shall not be governed, nor shall any person or group of persons take control of the Government of Nigeria or any part thereof, except in accordance with the provisions of this constitution”.
HURIWA therefore faults the increasing tempo of divisive regional clamour for the presidency in 2015 saying that threats of war or violence should be viewed by the holder of the highest office in the land as grave and unbecoming.