Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday distanced himself from the the Niger Delta Avengers, saying he had no hands in the sponsorship of the insurgent group which has been devastating the oil facilities in the region.
Jonathan, through his media aide, Ikechukwu Eze, said that the allegation that he was among the sponsors of the militant activities by the splinter group of the Avengers, Reformed Niger Delta Avengers, was a ploy to instigate the Muhammadu Buhari government to go after him.
Eze described the allegation against Jonathan who is President Jonathan who is on an African Union assignment in Zambia, as “idiotic” and “too cheap a narrative.”
According to him, the names of those listed as alleged sponsors and supporters of NDA suggested a political agenda informed the composition of the list.
The RNDA spokesperson, Cynthia Whyte, had in a statement on Saturday released a list of those allegedly sponsoring the militants in the Niger Delta, which includes: “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.”
Others are: “Olisa Metuh, an ex-spokesperson for the Peoples Democratic Party; Oyege Nimi Brown, VIP Timothy, 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 added.?
“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.”
