The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Jomo Gbomo, has accused Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan of not addressing core issues in the Niger Delta during his reign.
Pointing to a statement issued on behalf of the former President disassociating himself from the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), MEND said the former President has not provided enough evidence to exonerate himself from the allegations leveled against him by the Reformed Niger Delta Avengers, a group which says the Ex-President is the grand patron of the Niger Delta Avengers.
MEND insisted that the statement issued in defence of the Ex-President woefully failed to address the core of the issue of whether or not the former President was indeed, the Grand Patron of the NDA but however employed diversionary tactics which dwelt extensively on sour grapes.
They said a substantial portion of Jonathan’s statement, unfortunately, dwelt on judicial matters which were still pending in various courts in Nigeria and South Africa citing Henry Okah’s Appeal in South Africa’s Supreme Court which is due for hearing this August and that of his brother, Charles’ which is pending before Hon. Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court in Abuja as examples.
According to the press release by MEND: ‘‘Any follower of events in Nigeria and the Niger Delta who was privileged to read the statement released by Jonathan would immediately observe that the former President had a score to settle with the Okah brothers as well as with MEND who have since May 30, 2014, stopped attacks on Nigeria’s oil and gas assets; and are currently engaged in dialogue with the Federal Government to find sustainable ways and means of ending the festering Niger Delta crises.’’
The press release insisted that the problem in the Niger Delta had nothing to do with the current Administration of President Muhammadu Buhari but stemmed from the failure of the former President in addressing the root issues confronting the region when he was at the helm of affairs.
MEND says it can neither support nor defend the RNDA who have pointedly accused Jonathan of complicity in fueling the ongoing Niger Delta crisis and patronizing the NDA, apparently for political reasons. They pointed out that the RNDA had merely vindicated their belief and conviction that the former President and his cronies who lost the 2015 Presidential election were using the illegal and treasonable NDA platform to destabilize President Buhari’s Government.
They also re-iterated their commitment to working with the current administration to bring peace, stability and development to the Niger Delta region. The process has since commenced with the constitution of the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT-MEND AARON TEAM 2; Dialogue, Peace and Development Initiative.
“Between August 22, 2016 and October 7, 2016 the AaronTeam shall embark on a tour of the Niger Delta region. The proposed tour is code-named “OPERATION MOSES” and its key focus is to persuade militants to ceasefire and support President Muhammadu Buhari in his determined and sincere effort to develop the region, MEND said in its statement.
“The tour shall also help to boost Nigeria’s oil production capacity as well as improve host community relations with oil and gas companies in the country,” the group said.
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