Militants on Monday warned politicians in Rivers State against rigging in the forthcoming elections.
In a two-page statement made available to journalists in Port Harcourt, the militants said that they had received information from their members spread across the state that one of the leading political parties in the state was already planning to rig the poll and win at all costs.
The militants, who wrote under the aegis of �Mangrove Protectors of Niger Delta�, accused one of the parties in the state of mobilising armed youths to eliminate some politicians before the election.
In the statement signed by one Pedro on behalf of the MPND, the group called on the agencies saddled with the responsibility of conducting the election to provide a level-playing field for all the parties and their candidates to avoid a breakdown of law and order.
It noted that the people of the state should be allowed to freely choose their leaders during the election.
MPND said that parties that had produced leaders in strategic positions in the state should use what they had achieved as their campaign materials and stop using threats.
The group called on the Nigeria Police Force and the State Security Service to take threats to lives and property seriously and to avoid a repeat of the of the killings, which preceded the 2003 election.
It said, �We want to use this medium to warn all concerned with the election, including ad-hoc staff, to be engaged for the poll not to do anything that could affect the result of the election.
�The sanctity of the people�s vote must be maintained. Be warned.
�We recently proved our capability when one of our leaders was arrested and detained by the police in Port Harcourt. We hope to repeat that feat and even do more, if any of the parties attempt to rig the forthcoming election.�