S-Court verdict averted further blood bath in Rivers – Ateke

THE ex-agitator in the Niger Delta struggle, High Chief Ateke Tom has said the verdict given by the Supreme Court, Wednesday, which affirmed the victory of Chief Nyesom Wike in the April  11th Governorship election in

Rivers State has averted a perceived blood bath in the state. Ateke who spoke to pressmen in the state, yesterday, at his Okrika home town described the judgment as an act of God.

Ateke stated that the judgment ought to spur the people of the state to host a thanksgiving ceremony, adding that if the judgment was not discretional that the state would have faced more crises in the rerun of the governorship election. Ateke who is a peace ambassador said the verdict has shut the doors against impending bloodshed in the state. The leader of Niger Delta Vigilante, NDV, called for reconciliation between Dr. Dakuku Peterside, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the election and Governor Nyesom Wike in the state for the sake of development of the state.

He also urged youths to stop attacks on oil facilities in the region, adding that sch act was a setback to the peace and development of the nation Ateke said, “Wike and Dakuku should reconcile. The winning didn’t come as a surprise if you look at me you will know that I have reduced weight because I was thinking about the election.”  A lot of killing would have taken place in the rerun, but the Supreme Court ruling has averted it. “Already when they have not passed the judgment they have started attacking people, rapping peoples wives, killing youths.

Anybody that is Wike’s supporter they will come after the person. They killed a lot of people with their raid, look at me a peacemaker in Niger Delta they wanted to come and raid my house which is bad. “The ruling, to be frank, has saved many people lives because we don’t know what would have happened. Ateke also pleaded, “Those who are planning to go back to the creek should stop because it is an economic sabotage, I am not in support that. Cultism is an offshore of the bad attitude of the politicians in different locality and they are the one that gave the youths arms, the only advice I have for them is for them to shun violence.