The Federal Government officially reacted to the war threat by ex- Niger Delta militants, on Thursday, saying it was reprehensible.
The condemnation came barely a day after General Theophilus Danjuma called for their arrest and seven days after the ex-militants made the threat at the Government House in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
The ex-militants – Mujahiden Dokubo-Asari, Government Ekpemupolo (aka Tompolo), Victor Ebikabowei (aka Boyloaf) and others – had at the end of a meeting attended by Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson, said, “For every Goliath, God created a David. For every Pharaoh, there is a Moses. We are going to war. Every one of you should go and fortify yourself.”
But as the Federal Government, through the Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, cautioned against inflammatory remarks, unrepentant Tompoli, said Danjuma was the one that should be arrested by the security.
The minister, at a news conference in Abuja, said, “It is reprehensible for people to threaten this country with mayhem should their candidate lose the election . The President, Dr. Jonathan, has not left anybody in doubt as to his preparedness to conduct a free, fair, credible and transparent election.
“Mr. President has said that in the unlikely event of his losing the election, in the course of this exercise, that he was straight man enough, he was democratic enough to concede defeat.
“So, if Mr. President himself, who is the main contestant, who is the President of this country, who is the leader of the PDP(Peoples Democratic Party) has come out to say that he was going to ensure free and fair elections where the choice of Nigerians would be respected, I do not see where statements from supporters of either Mr. President or any political party for that matter should derail the course of this democratic movement.”
