…group accuses him of crafty, statesman like rhetoric about Niger Delta region
…demands access to militant commanders
There appears to be love lost between main militant group in the oil-rich Niger Delta region, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) and the President Muhammadu Buhari administration. The group said it has categorically and unequivocally withdrawn its endorsement of the Buhari government, which it said it freely and voluntarily gave him pre-2015 presidential election.
If anything, MEND has accused the President of “cunning, crafty and unstatesmanlike rhetoric about the Niger Delta region;” claiming that the Federal Government has been unwilling to name a team to dialogue with the region’s people.
In an emailed statement to the media on Sunday, January 01, the militant group’s spokesperson, Jomo Gbomo, advanced four reasons which informed the withdrawal of the group’s support for the Buhari led administration. One of the reasons was President Buhari’s alleged reneging on the agreements reached at the MEND/ FG dialogue, at a farewell remarks to the out-going German ambassador to Nigeria.
“After the MEND/ FG dialogue, which was publicly confirmed by no less a person than President Buhari in his farewell remarks to Michael Zinner, the out-going German Ambassador to Nigeria, President Buhari reneged on the agreements reached at the dialogue,” said MEND spokesperson.
The group also claimed that, “following on the heels of the breach of the agreements, President Buhari personally wrote and signed a damaging and prejudicial letter to the Government of South Africa, in an attempt to wilfully truncate the on-going peace process in Nigeria; sabotage the legal options open to Henry Okah, and simultaneously influence the on-going trial of Charles Okah and others, at the Federal High Court in Abuja, in favour of the Federal Government.”
It therefore, demanded an immediate resumption of genuine dialogue between the Federal Government team and traditional rulers, opinion leaders, and stakeholders of the Niger Delta region under the auspices of Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF).
“Without prejudice to the pre-2015 Presidential Election endorsement freely and voluntarily given to President Muhammadu Buhari on January 6, 2015, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) hereby categorically and unequivocally pass a vote of no confidence on the government of President Buhari; specifically with regard to the Government’s handling of the current Niger Delta crisis,” the statement said.
According to the MEND, “prior to and after his reluctant meeting with the traditional rulers, opinion leaders and stakeholders of the Niger Delta region, under the auspices of Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) on November 1, 2016, President Muhammadu Buhari has been carrying on arrogantly and making controversial, prejudicial, conflicting and contradictory statements about the politics and economy of the oil-rich region.”
The group further claimed that “since after he assumed the reins, President Buhari has always, for reasons best known to him, held the Niger Delta region in contempt; while accusing and/or blackmailing the leadership of the region of not being ready for dialogue, whereas it is the Federal Government who are not ready or willing to name a team to dialogue with the people.”
It also accused the Federal Government of “a grand deception” with respect to dialogue held between it (Federal Government) and MEND representatives, where concessions were secured for the release of the Okah brothers (Henry and Charles) and several other political detainees and prisoners of conscience.
It also accused the Federal Government of “a grand deception” with respect to dialogue held between it (Federal Government) and MEND representatives, where concessions were secured for the release of the Okah brothers (Henry and Charles) and several other political detainees and prisoners of conscience.
“Prior to the inauguration of PANDEF, the several sessions of dialogue held between representatives of MEND, on the one hand; and those of the Federal Government, on the other hand; where concessions were secured for the release of the Okah brothers and several other political detainees and prisoners of conscience, was a grand deception on the part of the Federal Government,” said Gbomo.
“Based on the foregoing premises, we hereby demand that President Muhammadu Buhari must put a stop to his cunning, crafty and unstatesmanlike rhetoric about the Niger Delta region, as they have only served the purpose of jeopardizing the fragile peace in the region; and consequently direct the relevant agency of Government to immediately commence dialogue with the Niger Delta region; as duly and ably represented by PANDEF,” the group said.
It also gave notice to the Federal Government that “all Niger Delta militant commanders and/or individuals who were tracked and arrested while observing a ceasefire ahead of talks with the FG should be treated well. They should be allowed access to their lawyers, the International Red Cross and a delegation from PANDEF, so as to ascertain their wellbeing and ensure they have not been tortured or killed, extra judicially.
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