MEND Blasts Jonathan, Accuses Him of Spending Six Years “Drinking And Chasing Shadows”
The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, Came down hard
on former President Goodluck Jonathan, accusing him of woefully failing to
address the injustices, poverty and other challenges of the Niger Delta
region.
A Press Release issued and signed by Gbomo Jomo, spokesperson of MEND
accused the former President of spending six years of his presidency
“drinking and chasing shadows.”
MEND said the response of former President Jonathan denying sponsorship of
the Niger Delta Avengers, was not enough to exonerate him from being the
“Grand Patron” of the Avengers.
MEND press release below:
1. The attention of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta
(MEND) has been drawn to a statement issued by one Ikechukwu Eze, on
behalf of former President Goodluck Jonathan purporting to dissociate the
former President from the allegation leveled against him by the Reformed
Niger Delta Avengers (RNDA) that, the former President was the Grand
Patron of the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA).
2. With all due respect, the entire statement was deeply provocative and
embarrassingly misconceived as it woefully failed to address the core the
issue of whether or not; the former President was indeed, the Grand Patron
of the NDA.
3. Rather, the statement employed diversionary Tactics which dwelt
extensively on sour grapes! Any follower of events in Nigeria and the
Niger Delta who was privileged to read the statement released by Mr.
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
which were exacerbated by the former President’s ineptitude, incompetence
and corruption during the 6years he governed the country.
4. Indeed, the problem in the Niger Delta today has nothing to do with the
current Administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. Far from it! The
problem is simply, the failure
of Mr. Jonathan to address the root issues confronting the region when he
was at the helm. Even though he was from the impoverished region; and had,
by his own admission in numerous electioneering campaigns, experienced the
utter poverty and abject neglect of the region foisted by successive
Nigerian Governments and the International Oil Companies since the
discovery of oil in 1958 at Oloibiri (a few meters away from his native
Otuoke) in Bayelsa state, Mr. Jonathan disappointingly frittered away the
opportunity to rescue his people when the Nigerian Presidency fortuitously
landed on his laps, virtually on a platter of gold. For 6 whole years, Mr.
Jonathan was busy drinking, making merry and generally chasing shadows at
the State
House. Such a fellow deserves to be ostracized from the assembly of
reasonable men; because the Nigerian Presidency might never comeback to
the Niger Delta region as cheap as it came to Mr. Jonathan; perhaps, in
the next 100 years.
5. Lest we forget, MEND was at the forefront of the armed struggle back in
2006/2007 which forced the then Government of President Olusegun Obasanjo
to consider the option of drafting an Ijaw into the mainstream of Nigerian
politics. That was how the perpetually timid and naïve Dr. Goodluck Ebele
Jonathan became Vice President and later, President of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria. When he assumed the reins as President, he did the
unthinkable; he tracked down perceived MENDleaders and promptly got them
imprisoned on a trumped-up charge of attempt to assassinate him. Up until
today, Mr. Jonathan is still suffering from an assassination paranoia
complex (APC).
6. Secondly, a substantial portion of Mr. Jonathan's statement,
unfortunately, dwelt on judicial matters which are pending in various
courts in Nigeria and South Africa. For instance ,Mr. Henry Okah’s Appeal
in South Africa’s Supreme Court is due for Hearing this August; while his
brother, Charles’ ongoing trial in Nigeria is pending before Hon. Justice
Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
7. The former President’s statement was therefore, most highly
contemptuous, injurious to the credit of MEND and the Okah brothers; and,
above all, prejudicial to the eventual outcome of the ongoing trials in
South African and Nigerian courts, respectively. Consequently, both
brothers shall, on account of the former President’s prejudicial
statement, institute legal action against him in South Africa and Nigeria
within 60 days, commencing from today, August 9, 2016. Accordingly, they
have briefed their respective Solicitors to formally engage the former
President in litigation.
8. Back to the core issue. MEND cannot hold brief for the RNDA who
pointedly accused Mr. Jonathan of complicity in fueling the ongoing Niger
Delta crisis ;and patronizing the NDA, apparently for political reasons.
We are however ,quick to point out the fact that, the RNDA has merely
vindicated MEND’s 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. 9.
Finally, MEND is committed 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.” The key focus of the tour is to
persuade militants to ceasefire and support President Muhammadu Buhari in
his determined and sincere effort to
develop the region. 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.
JOMO GBOMO
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