Ijaw leaders at the weekend promised to mobilise two million people in Bayelsa State for a march to support the Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) for the November 16 election, Senator Douye Diri.

The leaders under the auspices of the Ijaw Leaders Consultative Forum (ILCF) said they took a decision to support Diri to enable him consolidate on the achievements of Governor Seriake Dickson.

ILCF, in a statement by its Leader, Hendricks Opukeme, said the current challenges confronting the Ijaw nation could not be entrusted in the hands of a local community contractor.

Congratulating Diri for his emergence as the flag bearer, Opukeme said the candidate was versatile and prepared for governance in all ramifications.

He said: “Most importantly the emergence of Douye Diri could not have come at a more appropriate time than now considering the fact that there was actually anxiety and trepidation from well- meaning Ijaw as to who succeeds Governor Dickson.

“We want a candidate that would not only consolidate on the achievements of the Restoration administration but understands the cause and salient issues confronting the Ijaw nation within the context of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“We, therefore, commend Governor Dickson for the clarity of purpose,direction and commitment which characterised the political process that culminated in the emergence Senator Douye Diri.

“The Ijaw Leaders Consultative Forum commend PDP for the conduct of credible and transparent primaries and we urge all shades of opinion who participated in the primaries to close rank and vote massively for Senator Douye Diri.

“As part of our collective support, endorsement and solidarity, the Ijaw Leaders Consultative Forum is billed to stage a two million man open air rally in Yenagoa in the next couple of weeks.

“The rally would draw participants from the youths, women,organised kabout, civil society, ethnic nationality platforms, faith based organisations, community based groups,student union governments,market associations, academia and professional associations’’. (The Nation)

Update news