Simon Utebor, Yenagoa

The Presidential Candidate for the Liberal Democratic Party of Nigeria and the Alliance for Democracy in the 2003 and 2007 elections, Chief Pere Ajuwa, has died.

Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson described the Ajuwa’s death in a statement as sad, shocking and a monumental loss to the government and people of Bayelsa State.

He reportedly died at a hospital in Port Harcourt on Monday.

Dickson, in his condolence message, recalled Ajuwa’s forays into politics, which saw him contest for the governorship of the old Rivers State and later for the presidency, making him one of the very few minorities of the Ijaw stock to run for the highest office in the land.

According to the governor, the efforts of the late Egbesu of Egbesubiri greatly inspired the younger generation of Ijaw politician and gave a greater insight and meaning to why people should legitimately fight for what rightly belonged to them, without resorting to violence.

Dickson said Ajuwa supported every genuine effort of the Ijaw people to be properly recognised and be accorded their pride of place politically, economically, and in other areas of human endeavour by using his personal resources to fight for the political and economic emancipation of the minorities of the South-South.

He added that even though Ajuwa was dead, his legacies and strides as an Ijaw patriot and a fighter for the rights of the minorities of this country would live long after him.

Dickson prayed for the peaceful repose of his soul and for God Almighty to grant the family he had left behind, the strength, courage and fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.