By Eseoghene Emuke
The United States Consul General in Lagos, Mr. John Bray on Tuesday visited the Olu of Warri, His Majesty, Ogiame Ikenwoli, where he seeks for the support of revered monarch for a free, fair and credible elections in the forthcoming general elections.
Bray particularly called on traditional rulers in Nigeria to champion the crusade for credible and violent free elections especially in the Niger Delta region in the elections holding February and March this year.
The U.S Consul, who led the high profile delegation to the monarch’s palace on Tuesday, said the visit to Olu of Warri was part of his engagement tour of critical segments of the country ahead of the polls.
He was emphatic that America was not interested in any individual candidate, nor any of the political parties, but in the process, which he said should be free and fair to all contestants.
In his response, the Olu of Warri, thanked Mr. Bray-led team and the United States for what he described as their consistent policy of promoting peace and level playing field for all contestants in every election in Nigeria since 1999.
The Itsekiri assured that he was already talking to his people to shun violence before, during & after the elections.
He disclosed that he had appealed to President Buhari during his visit to his palace about two weeks ago, to keep to his promise to ensure INEC was left to do its job without interference.
The first-class monarch stated that he would continue to pray to almighty God and his ancestors to ensure there was no violence anywhere in the Niger Delta in the course of the 2019 elections.
