Nigeria’ Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan raises alarm
concerning some threats to his life by some enemies under the aegis of the
Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, as they perfect their plot to
assassinate him.
Recently, a splinter group from the Niger Delta Avengers
(NDA), which goes by the name Reforemed Niger Delta Avengers accused the former
President as the grand patron of the NDA with the inclusion of his name in the
list of alleged sponsors prepared by them.
An online medium, SaharaReporters, recounted that according
to the statement made by its spokesperson, Cynthia Whyte, the RNDA also listed
the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, and the Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake
Dickson, as supporters of the NDA.
Others mentioned in the list were Chief Edwin Clark, a
former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio; ex-militant
leader, Government Ekpemupolo (alias Tompolo); the founder, African Independent
Television, Raymond Dokpesi; Kingsley Kuku; Kimi Angozi, and Patrick
Akpobolokemi.
According to SaharaReporters, the group further claimed that
the NDA sympathisers are Daniel Alabrah; Tony Uranta, Daniel; Ms. Annkio
Briggs, and a former spokesman for the Peoples Democratic Party, Olisa Metuh.
The Reformed Niger Delta Avengers also named Oyege Nimi
Brown, VIP Timothy, Joshua Macaiver, Paul Bebenimibo, among others, as the main
operatives of the NDA.
It also claimed that the President of the Ijaw Youth
Council, Udengs Eradiri, aka Brig. Gen. Murdoch Agbinibo, served as the NDA’s
chief spokesman.
Nevertheless in a swift reaction, Jonathan, in a statement
on Sunday via his media aide, Ikechukwu Eze, said the purported list by the
splinter group was politically motivated, adding that it was part of assassination
attempt to his life.
Here are the excerpts of the press 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 Goodluck Jonathan, a committed patriot.
“We are seized by the feeling of déjà vu occasioned by the
resurrection of one dim character masquerading as Cynthia Whyte, 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 former President Jonathan.”
The former President recollected an assassination attempt
made by the same group against him in 2007, after he emerged as the running
mate of the late President Umar Yar’Adua. He further narrated how this same
group of boys bombed his compound in Otuoke, Bayelsa State, in one of the night
he was billed to attend to a very important matter back home.
While speaking, he said, “Do we need to remind anybody that
the so-called Cynthia Whyte is the self-declared spokesperson for the Movement
for the Emancipation of Niger Delta, a violent and murderous underground group
led by one Henry Okah, which has not hidden its intention to destroy the former
President?”
He also gave an instance of the bombing that took place on
October 1, 2010 at the Eagle Square, Abuja, which portrays how violent they are.
He stated, “We have no doubt in our mind that MEND, as a
group contracted to go after Jonathan with the mind of assassinating him, has
yet to abandon this criminal and ignominious craving. It is in this light that
we view the purported statement issued by Cynthia Whyte 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.
“Those who have been following the unsavoury developments in
some parts of the country since the last general election would have noticed
that MEND, its paymasters and other unscrupulous elements in the South-South
region have been striving fruitlessly to exploit the ensuing confusion by
surreptitiously working for the fulfilment of its yet-to-be declared political
agenda.
“We are not under any illusion that more accusations and
allegations of this nature would not be hurled Jonathan’s way in the future.
But we are very positive that he can never be fazed by such negative energy.”
Similarly, Edwin Clark, also spoke through his lawyer, Mr.
Dotun Sowemimo, wondering why he would be mentioned as one of the sponsors of
such a terrible crime against the nation.
He said, “The allegation is an attempt to undermine the
efforts of the Niger Delta leaders to bring true, lasting peace to the region.
“Clark and other leaders in the region believe in the unity
of Nigeria. The list is a cheap lie, which is meant to distract the peace moves
by the elders and leaders in the Niger Delta.”
On his part, Wike, who spoke through his Special Assistant
on Electronic Media, Mr. Simeon Nwakaudu, said the list should be ignored by
the members of the public.
Dokpesi, also distanced himself from the Niger Delta
Avengers.
Dokpesi in an interview with The PUNCH on Sunday in Abuja,
said he remained committed to strengthening the unity and stability of Nigeria.
He said, “I don’t know who is giving that report; I have
never met any member of the NDA in my life, I have no association with them and
I don’t know who they are. I have been committed to strengthening the unity and
stability of the country.”
Also denying the allegation, Metuh said he had nothing to do
with the NDA.
He said, “Ordinarily, I would not have responded to this,
but on this occasion, I have chosen to respond, as this particularly borders on
matters affecting national security.
“This is a wicked, cruel and devilish plot to link me with
such activities, especially as the claim is outright false.’’
A former spokesman for the Presidential Amnesty Programme,
Mr. Daniel Alabrah, also denied being a sympathiser of the NDA.
Alabrah said in a statement on Sunday that the report was a
product of mischief designed to distract the Federal Government from decisively
addressing the resurgence of militancy in the Niger Delta.
The Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, denied
being a sponsor of the Niger Delta Avengers or any other militant group.
In a statement on Sunday by his Special Assistant on Media,
Mr. Anietie Ekong, the former Governor of Akwa Ibom State described the
allegation as “baseless, reckless and senseless.”
The statement read in part, “Senator Akpabio has no link
with the Niger Delta Avengers or any other militant group for that matter.’’
Also, a former Adviser to President Jonathan, on Niger
Delta, Mr. Kingsley Kuku, denied reports linking him with the Avengers.
From the foregoing, one may say that there is something
dodgy about all these allegations due to the manner is was released by the
supposed group, giving some consideration to their antecedents. However, time
shall tell.
