Militancy in the oil-rich Niger Delta could revive after the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari, analysts feared on Wednesday.
Buhari’s closest challenger Atiku Abubakar of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has strongly protested votes, raising fears of renewed violence in the region, which has been a hotbed for militants targeting the country’s oil infrastructure.
Analysts feared protests by the opposition party may spark violence in the country, notably in the oil producing Niger Delta region, which has not been a popular base for Buhari.
The Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), the militant group that claimed most of the attacks on Nigeria’s oil installations in 2016, had threatened to launch fresh attacks on the oil installations if Buhari wins.The NDA publicly backed Abubakar ahead of the election.
“The initial reaction to the threat issued by the militants was that of seeking means to arm twist the government for money, but we still want the government not to take the threat lightly,” an official of a Western oil company said, reacting to the outcome of the election.
“The government should tighten security in the Niger Delta,” energy analyst Abiodun Adesanya said. “Companies have enjoyed stability in production and (transportation of oil) evacuation for a long time now.”
Analysts do not expect an immediate impact to the energy industry because during his campaign Buhari advocated a continuation of a largely state-controlled oil sector.
Rival Abubakar had proposed large-scale privatization along with the removal of gasoline subsidies.
Nigeria’s crude and condensate production was just under 2 million b/d in January, and output is set to climb as the offshore 200,000 b/d Egina Field ramps up.
Buhari, who secured 15.19 million votes of the total 28.36 million votes cast, took 25% of the vote in 28 states, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Under Nigeria’s electoral law, the winner of a presidential election must take a simple majority as well as 25% of the vote in two thirds of the country’s 36 states.
“The new administration will intensify its efforts in security, restructuring the economy and fighting corruption. We have laid down the foundation and we are committed to seeing matters to the end,” Buhari said.
Buhari of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) claimed to win the majority of the votes largely from the mainly Muslim north and the southwest.
Abubakar, who was Nigeria’s vice president from 1999-2007 under then-President Olusegun Obasanjo, secured 11. 26 million votes. But he and his party have rejected the election results and called for recounting, citing widespread irregularities.
Regardless of the fears being expressed, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide hailed President Muhammadu Buhari following his victory in the election.
The umbrella body of Ijaw youths in a statement by its spokesman, Mr. Daniel Dasimaka describes President Buhari’s victory as a testament of the level of acceptance he enjoyed in different parts of the country.
He, however, urged the President to reward the efforts and support he received from the Niger Delta by developing the region in his second term in office.
Prior to the election, Dasimaka issued a controversial IYC statement endorsing the candidature of Buhari and gave reasons why the region should vote for him.
Dasimaka said beyond the endorsement, the like minds in IYC worked to garner votes for the President following their conviction that he meant well for the region.
He said: “We congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari and urge him to treat his victory as a victory for all Nigerians and to see the entire country including regions and state where he did not win as his constituency.
“We call on the President to effectively utilize and build on the massive support he and his party received from the Niger Delta in general and the Ijaw nation in particular on his race to reelection by developing the region and Ijaw land.
“This victory affords President Buhari the golden opportunity to write his name in the sand of time in the Niger Delta by completing projects like the East West road, Ogoni Clean up, Brass LNG and Petrochemicals, Brass Fertilizer, Train 7 of the Bonny LNG, Bodo-Bonny Road, stopping of Gas Flaring and the transformation of flared gas to Power, among others.
“The Ijaw youths pledge to continue to work with President Buhari to deliver this on his development plan for the Niger Delta by maintaining the peace in the region”.