Former leaders of militant groups in the Niger Delta have declared former Vice-President , Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, a persona non grata in the region for what they described as spearheading the breakup of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and threatening to stop President Goodluck Jonathan from enjoying a second term in office .
The former warlords, drawn from all the states of the region, converged on Yenagoa yesterday under the aegis of the Leadership, Peace and Cultural Development Initiative to review current political developments in the country.
Addressing journalists in Port Harcourt after the meeting, president of the group, Gen. Reuben Wilson, said the former vice-president declared himself an enemy of the Niger Delta the day he led other members of the PDP to organise what he called a political coup against Jonathan.
The group said it was rather unfortunate for Atiku, who it views as a beneficiary of the resources of the region, to work against Jonathan, who is from the region and warned about its knowledge of the vast interests of the former VP in the region.
According to Wilson, “it is unfortunate that Atiku who has benefitted so much from the Niger Delta oil is leading dissidents in a political coup against the first southerner to ever ascend to the seat of president of Nigeria.
We are aware of his vast business interest in the Niger Delta and we are warning him in his own interest to stay off the region. He cannot be enjoying our oil money and at the same time using the same money to fight against the owners of the oil,’’ the group warned.
“What we thought we would be hearing from the North was how the Federal Government will implement the spirit and letters of the amnesty programme. Before the former President, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua died, he had promised that as soon as we dropped our arms and allowed an unhindered flow of oil from the creeks, we will be given a lifeline.
He had promised that we would be empowered to live a new life from the resources of our oil. We have been waiting patiently for this to happen. Doubtless, our acceptance of peace benefited Atiku and his ilk. Why did he not lead a campaign for the Federal Government to provide the empowerment tools? Why has he found it convenient to distract the President from rendering service to Nigerians?” The ex-militants asked.
They said it was the same northerners that vowed that they would make the country ungovernable for Jonathan. Adding that by splitting the PDP and causing further tension in the polity, they are demonstrating the agenda of giving Jonathan sleepless nights with the intention of painting him in bad light to enable them take over power in 2015.
The former warlords warned Atiku to tender a public apology to Jonathan within seven days, while also warning the Governor of Rivers State, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, to dissociate himself from the leader of the splinter group within PDP or risk being treated as an enemy of the people of the region.
“We dare say that they have misfired. What we expect Atiku to do in the next seven days is for him to apologise to the president for the public embarrassment. He has misled so many people, including the Rivers State Governor, who has abandoned governance in his state to follow the anti-Jonathan apostles.
We are also asking Amaechi to return to his senses and dissociate himself from the northern agenda of destroying Jonathan, otherwise we will also be compelled to declare him an enemy of the people.
“As we speak now, there are no roads in Port Harcourt. Even the projects that were started during his first term have since been abandoned. He promised the people uninterrupted power supply and instead of fulfilling the promises, he now spends more time playing politics of 2015,’’ the group stated.
The group urged the Jonathan to remain focused and refuse to be distracted by the antics of those who were fighting hard to distract him, adding that the former militants were waiting patiently for the Federal Government to fully implement the terms of the amnesty programme.
Source
via 247naijagossip
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