A Coalition of Niger Delta Youth Leaders on Saturday congratulated President Muhamadu Buhari on his re election and commended the peaceful disposition of Alhahi Atiku Abubakar.

The coalition consisting of leaders of different youth groups in the Niger Delta also demanded the release of 41 youths who were arrested while observing the Feb.23 polls.

Mr Don-Clinton Ekine, Spokesman of the group said in Yenagoa  that Atiku’s resolve to seek legal redress was civilised.

He noted that the approach of the former Vice President resorting to lawful conduct rather than extra judicial protest was an indication that Atiku was a statesman.

Ekine called on the security agencies to act professionally by creating a level playing field for all parties in the  Guber and House of Assembly elections slated for  March 9, 2019.

He noted that the conduct of the security agencies scared prospective voters and called on the leadership of the security forces to ensure that the forthcoming elections would be held in a relaxed atmosphere.

“The presence of top brass of Nigerian Army had unintended influence in  some Local Government Areas and polling units in most states of the Niger Delta region on the Feb. 23 election day.

“There are also reports that the Nigerian Police was instrumental to intimidation, harassment, unlawful arrest of innocent potential voters, the act is perceived to have coerced and weakened the opposition.

“Usually when you have a militarised election, it traumatises and works negatively on the psychology of the electorates as the case in Akwa Ibom , Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta.

“Take for instance, the  41 Niger Delta youths , going to embark on their first INEC Observers and Monitoring exercise still suffering in the hands of Nigerian Police in Akwa Ibom,

“Two weeks after their arrest, they have neither been charged to court nor granted bail.

“We are urging the IGP to order for the immediate release of the youths as they are all members of Niger Delta Non Violence Youth Leaders Assembly and other pacifist organisations in the region,

“The National Peace Committee should advise the security agencies to ensure that these election observers are allowed to participate in the forthcoming elections” Ekine said
.

He further said that the coalition  condemned the violence that affected the presidential/ NASS elections at the littoral axis of the states of the region.

They urged  the Oweilaemi Peretubo led executive of the Ijaw Youth Council to wade into the crisis and restore peace before the forth coming  governoship and house of assembly elections slated for  March 9