2015: Why Nigerians must eschew politics of bitterness

The state governor, Seriake Dickson must be commended for this initiative of bringing the ex-warlords together in an atmosphere of dialogue. It is a departure from the past where things are allowed to go pear shaped before efforts are made at restoring peace with the attendant human and material cost of any crisis as well […]

The state governor, Seriake Dickson must be commended for this initiative of bringing the ex-warlords together in an atmosphere of dialogue. It is a departure from the past where things are allowed to go pear shaped before efforts are made at restoring peace with the attendant human and material cost of any crisis as well as the rebuilding that must follow.
The recent  threat to the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, by the Mangrove Boys of Bayelsa, Bayelsa Youth Vanguard via SMS and press briefings is an indication that there is need to continue engaging the youths of the region in the aftermath of a government amnesty to militants.
Dickson must thus be commended for giving a local touch to the programme with this latest round of engagement through the meeting he hosted.
However, the calibre of attendees of this should be of interest to anyone who is keen on monitoring development in the region once known for its volatility that was then driven by these ex-militants who made the creeks a no-go area to operative of the Nigerian state. While the Yenagoa meeting discussed progressive issues, one should rightly be worried about the other potentials that such gathering can be put to. Given the ceaseless fireworks of divisive and inflammatory comments that have been flying around the February general elections, one should ask if this meeting of ex-warlord signals a kind of regrouping of the fiery men, who not too long ago laid down their arms to embrace a Federal Government Amnesty Programme.
What we must not give to them again is the excuse to get angry but this is exactly what we are doing with the endless barrage of inflammatory comments and actions. For instance, our uncle, the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari was able to freely campaign in Rivers State and even had a conducive atmosphere in Bayelsa, President Jonathan’s home state. In both instances he Buhari and his entourage were recipients of the southern hospitality.
However, the campaign buses of President Jonathan could not even move from one city to the other as no driver was willing to drive one of them for a fee. Youths were instigated to chant against him in Sokoto, so called hoodlums stoned his convoy in Katsina and his billboards have to be under 24 hour surveillance in Gombe.
The way we treated our president is already yielding negative consequences as we have succeeded in belittling him on the international scene and yet we expect respect from foreigners as Nigerians.
These acts of intolerance are what we must collectively speak against as a block from the North. If the Nigerian electorate want to exercise their right to sack a government through the ballot, it is crucial that the decision of the people does not come out not just  like an ethnic agenda particularly when it is apparent that the North does not have the wherewithal to prosecute any resulting crisis from such misadventure.
Comrade Philip Agbese is National President, National Democratic Front.