The militants made their resolution known at the end of a workshop in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, on Wednesday, February 13, 2019.

Some of the militants who addressed the press on the development included Boyloaf, Tompolo and other hardened agitators who blew up oil installations to press home their demands in the past.

“The Niger Delta is the most important region of Nigeria and also produces over 2 million barrels of oil daily which is the economic bedrock of the country which therefore makes peace a pre-requisite for that sustainable development of the Niger Delta and Nigeria as a whole,” the statement dispatched to journalists, read. 

The militants made it clear that their interests will be best served if Buhari nails a second term in office. 

“Participants agreed and that the overall interest of the Niger Delta should be the guarding principle of all political considerations in the run-up to the 2019 presidential elections.

“Participants observed that since politics is a game of interest, and having realised that the interest of the Niger Delta would be better served by the incumbent president of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari.

“Participants also considered other presidential candidates in the 2019 presidential elections and unanimously endorsed Muhammadu Buhari in the February 16, presidential elections and urged all leaders and ex-agitators to vote en-mass for him.

“Participants also agreed and resolved to pursue peace during and after the elections and also assist all relevant security agencies to achieve and maintain peace in the region.”

Ebikabowei Ben, famously known as Boyloaf, was nominated to engage directly with Buhari after the elections “with a view of pursing the collective interest of all ex-agitators and the Niger Delta as a whole”.

Nigeria votes for federal and state political leaders on February 16 and March 2, 2019 respectively. 

This will be Nigeria's sixth election since returning to democracy in 1999, after decades of military rule interspersed with bouts of pseudo civilian dispensations.

More than half of all registered voters, 51.1 percent, are between 18 and 35, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The country's median age is 18 years old. 

The two main presidential contenders are in their 70s - Buhari is 76 and the main opposition candidate, Atiku Abubakar, is 72.