Former President Goodluck Jonathan has said
that tagging him as one of the sponsors of the militants in the Niger Delta
region was a ploy by the splinter group of the Avengers, Reformed Niger Delta
Avengers, RNDA, to instigate the Muhammadu Buhari government to go after him.
Dismissing the report, Ikechukwu Eze, Media
Aide to former President Jonathan who is on an African Union assignment in
Zambia, described the allegation as “idiotic” and “too cheap a narrative.”
Eze posited that the names of those listed as
alleged sponsors and supporters of NDA suggested a political agenda informed
the composition of the list.
In a statement on Saturday by RNDA
spokesperson, Cynthia Whyte, released list of those allegedly sponsoring the
militants in the Niger Delta.
They are: Goodluck Jonathan, the former
president (grand patron), Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state, Governor
Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa state Senator Godswill Akpabio, a former governor of
Akwa Ibom state, Government Ekpemupolo (alias Tompolo), ex-militant turned
contractor; Raymond Dokpesi, the founder of the African Independent Television;
Kingsley Kuku, an ex-special adviser to Jonathan on Niger Delta.
Also on the list are: Olisa Metuh, an
ex-spokesperson for the Peoples Democratic Party; Oyege Nimi Brown, VIP
Timothy, Joshua, VIP Timothy Joshua, Joshua Macaiver Paul Bebenimibo, Udengs
Eradiri, Kimi Angozi, Patrick Akpobolokemi, Edwin K. Clark, Tony Uranta, Daniel
Alabrah and Annkio Briggs.
The statement released by Eze reads in part,
“For the avoidance of doubt, we are fully convinced that such an idiotic claim
is too cheap a narrative, a facile contrivance so badly concocted that any
discerning mind would easily see through its disingenuous and duplicitous
nature,” the statement.?
“Since it is not in our place to speak for
all those named in the obvious fabrication, we are only intervening to the
extent that its hidden intent poses a violent threat to the life of former
President Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR, a committed patriot who the
Almighty God has given the grace and good health to rededicate his life to the
service of humanity, after serving his dear nation as President to the best of
his abilities.
“We are also not bothered by this baseless
accusation, contented that we are not the only ones conversant with Jonathan’s
widely-acknowledged sincere disposition to peace, non-violence and better human
community.
‘We are however seized by the feeling of déjà
vu occasioned by the resurrection of one dim character masquerading as ‘Cynthia
White’, who had in the past served as the spokesperson for a notorious group
that had all along shown its hand to be going after the life of Dr. Goodluck Ebele
Jonathan.
“Nigerians could recall that in 2007 when
Jonathan emerged as the running mate to the late President Umar’ Yar’Adua in
the People’s Democratic Party during that year’s presidential election, this
very group invaded Yenagoa with hundreds of militants in an effort to
assassinate him.
“Jonathan was only saved then by the spirited
efforts of the combined forces of determined security men, who gallantly
repelled the attack.
“Let us also not forget that members of this
same group later invaded and bombed Jonathan’s compound in Otuoke, Bayelsa
State, on a night he was scheduled to attend to an important matter in his
country home.
He was only saved by the grace of God, who in His infinite mercy
created intervening factors that prevented Jonathan from sleeping in his
country home that night.
“Do we need to remind anybody that the so
called Cynthia White is the self-declared spokesperson of the Movement for the
Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND), a violent and murderous underground group
led by one Henry Orkah, which has not hidden its intention to destroy the
former President?
“The unfortunate event of 1st October 2010 in
Abuja at the Eagle Square during the Independence Day celebrations for that
year, being presided over by the former President, bears out this conviction.
It would be recalled that after an attempt to bomb the venue, with the mind of
assassinating Jonathan and possibly other high profile local and international
dignitaries in attendance, was thwarted by tight security deployment, the
terrorists exploded their bombs in other parts of Abuja, resulting in the death
of many innocent Nigerians.
“It is no secret that following that
incident, Orkah, the leader of MEND was arrested, tried, convicted and jailed
in South Africa over terrorism charges by the security authorities of that
country.
He remains in a South African prison till date while his associates in
Nigeria are still being held in Kuje prison, Abuja.
“We, therefore, have no doubt in our mind
that MEND, as a group contracted to go after Jonathan with the mind of
assassinating him, is yet to abandon this criminal and ignominious craving. It
is in this light that we view the purported statement issued by ‘Cynthia White’
as not only a sadistic continuation of this sick desire, but also a futile
attempt to instigate the Federal Government to needlessly go after the former
President.”
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