Tag Archives: MEND

MEND Accuses Jonathan For Using Avengers To Destabilise Buhari’s Govt

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The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta says it has been vindicated by the Reformed Niger Delta Avengers’ allegation that former President Goodluck Jonathan is a grand patron of new militant group, the Niger Delta Avengers.

MEND claimed in a statement on Tuesday that Jonathan was sponsoring the NDA to destabilise the government of his successor, President Muhammadu Buhari.

The statement signed by one Jomo Gbomo was MEND’s response to Jonathan’s denial of the allegation by the RNDA, linking the ex-President with the new militant group.

The full text of the statement was made available to online news platform, SaharaReporters by MEND.

MEND said it was highly infuriated by Jonathan’s rebuttal of the RNDA earlier claim, particularly his declaration that Henry Okah was after his life rather than clear the air on the allegation.

The statement said, “MEND cannot hold brief for the RNDA, which pointedly accused Mr. Jonathan of complicity in fueling the ongoing Niger Delta crisis and patronising 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 destabilise President Buhari’s government.”

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http://punchng.com/jonathan-using-avengers-destabilise-buhari-govt-mend/

 

MEND Wants Me Dead- Jonathan

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Former President, Goodluck Jonathan has raised the alarm, alleging that the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) wants to assassinate him.
But President Jonathan said he was prepared to do anything within the ambit of the law, to ensure that he enjoys a well-deserved peaceful post-presidential life without any hindrance.
He raised the alarm in a statement signed by his media aide, Ikechukwu Eze, in response to a story linking him to the renewed militancy in the Niger Delta region.
A group, the Reformed Niger Delta Avengers (RNDA) recently alleged that many notable Ijaw and other Niger Delta leaders and elders, especially those perceived not to be too close to the Presidency were sponsors of the current crisis in the oil-rich region.
But Jonathan dismissed the allegation, saying his intervention is to the extent that the hidden intent poses a violent threat to his life.
Part of the statement reads: “We, 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…”

Read More: SunOnline

We Didn’t Beg You To Negotiate Kanu’s Release, IPOD Tells MEND

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The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) said the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) did not have its mandate to negotiate the release of Mr. Nnamdi Kanu and other members.
IPOB described the purported negotiation between MEND and the Federal Government as a “kangaroo agreement and a jamboree.”
A statement from the Media and Publicity Secretary of IPOB, Mr. Emma Powerful said the group only accepted the unconditional release of its leaders, insisting that  only Kanu can negotiate on behalf of the group.
The group vowed not to renounce the struggle for the restoration of Biafra state.
“IPOB under Mazi Nnamdi Kanu did not send MEND to negotiate for the release of our leader Kanu and other members in detention with him. It is unfortunate on the part of MEND to negotiate for the release our leader without the full knowledge of the organization.
“We the members of the indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB) worldwide and people of Biafra can never accept any release of our leader and other members detained alongside with him because he did not commit any crime, we can only accept the unconditional release of our leader, nothing more and nothing less,” IPOB stated.
The group continued: “MEND is a group which does not know what it is looking for and who decided to stay and use the plights of their people to make demand from the  Federal Government, everybody knows that and Nnamdi Kanu is not the type who will sabotage the people of Biafra.
“Therefore, any group or individual that wants to use the struggle for Biafra to make money or to sabotage the independent state of Biafra will die with serious pains around him or her because this is God’s project which no human being can stop because it is a spirit that hovers around”.

Credit: Sun

MEND Confirms Talks With FG

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The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has confirmed there are on-going peace talks between its representatives and the Federal Government.

MEND had set up a team of negotiators it called Aaron team 2 led by former minister Odein Ajumogbobia and other prominent Niger Delta leaders to discuss with the Federal Government to find a lasting solution to the Niger Delta crisis.

President Muhammadu Buhari had first disclosed the Federal Government participation in the peace talks during a farewell audience with the outgoing German Ambassador Mr Michael Zinner.

This disclosure was immediately denied by the spokesman of the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) Mudoch Agbinibo that the group was not part of the talks. Also other militant groups had denounced the peace talks insisting that MEND cannot represent it in any peace talks since it( MEND) has already taken sides with the Federal Government.

However spokesman of MEND, Jomo Gbomo in a statement has indeed confirmed the talks noting that there are going talks being led by International Oil Companies (IOCs) and law enforcement agencies.

Gbomo who said the talks are still at the preliminary stage disclosed that the Federal Government has made it clear that it would not hold talks with criminals.

According to him the groups in the Niger Delta region which he referred to as internet based militant groups cannot be part of the talks as they are criminals.

The statement read in part “The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) wishes to confirm that indeed it has been in preliminary talks with the Federal Government through oil companies and law-enforcement agencies as revealed by President Muhammadu

Buhari on Thursday, July 21, 2016.

These preliminary talks are the precursor to a wider dialogue between the Federal Government and the MEND Aaron 2 peace initiative which will seek to find solutions to the short, medium and long-term future of the Niger Delta region.

The Federal Government made it clear during our meetings that a negotiation with criminals is out of the question.

The Niger Delta Avengers, internet-based ‘militant’ groups such as Joint Revolutionary Council, Ultimate Warriors etc., an Ijaw opportunistic tribal assembly who were compromised to keep silent

during the six years of Goodluck Jonathan’s misrule and neglect, pirates, pipeline vandals, oil thieves, commercial kidnappers, waterway robbers, political thugs and miscreants all fall under this category”.

Credit: Sun

MEND Names 7-Member Team To Dialogue With FG

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The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) on Monday, announced a seven-member team, led by Mr Odein Ajumogobia, a former Minister of Petroleum, to dialogue with the Federal Government.

Jomo Gbomo, MEND`s Spokesman, said in an online statement on Monday that other members of the group, tagged, “ Aaron Team 2”, are Bismark Rewane (Delta) and Chief Florence Ita-Giwa (Cross River).

The rest are Timipa Jenkins Okponipere (Bayelsa), Ibanga Isine (Akwa Ibom), Ledum Mitee (Rivers) and Lawson Omokhodion (Edo ).Gbomo said other members of the team would be made public in due course after consultations with relevant stakeholders.

He said the team was made up of patriotic and selfless men and women with good track records and character drawn from different parts of the Niger Delta region.

Gbomo also said the team would dialogue with the Federal Government on the immediate, medium and long-term future of the Niger Delta region.

He said members had already agreed to serve on behalf of the Niger Delta Region.

He recalled that MEND on May 30, 2014, declared a ceasefire on attacks against the nation`s key economic and strategic interests.

The spokesman said the group took the decision in response to former President Goodluck Jonathan`s Democracy Day speech.

Our message to the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) is simple: The Niger Delta struggle is beyond attacks on oil installations.

If indeed your cause is to avenge the injustice done to the Niger Delta region; then, we urge you to ceasefire and join us to the table of negotiation with the Federal Government.

Otherwise, the Niger Delta struggle shall be hijacked, once again by selfish interests for their own personal aggrandizement,” Gbomo said.

He said that the problems and challenges facing the region after attacks on key installations were environmental pollution and political corruption.

Credit: Guardian

MEND Denies Endorsing Seriake Dickson

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The Movement for Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) on Tuesday denied reports that it endorsed the re-election bid of Bayelsa State Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson.

MEND in a statement signed by its Spokesman, Gbomo Jomo, dissociated itself from a statement endorsing Dickson’s ambition, credited to one Prince Amaibi Horby, who claimed to be its acting chairman.

The militant group said it was not in support of re-election of Dickson, who is the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the election.

It said Dickson in his desperation to be re-elected paid a group of thugs to use its name to endorse him.

Credit: Nation

I Was Under Pressure To Convene Meeting – Tompolo

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LEADER of the defunct Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger-Delta, MEND, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, aka Tompolo, explained, Friday, that he summoned Saturday’s meeting the of the militant group in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, because of the overpowering pressure mounted on him and other MEND leaders by ex-agitators and other beneficiaries of the Amnesty Programme.

Tompolo confirmed there was apprehension in Ijaw land over the continued delay by the Federal Government in paying monthly stipends to the beneficiaries, adding that whilst some of them, leaders, understood the reason for the noticeable delay apparently caused by the scrutiny of government agencies, including the Amnesty Office, majority of the beneficiaries did not see it in that light.

His words, “While a few see the delay in the payment of their monthly stipends in the light of the need for the current government to settle in properly, others see the delay as a template to stop the programme. The expulsion of some students (home and overseas) by their schools and training institutions particularly has heightened these fears.”

The ex-militant leader, who is the Ibe-Ebidouwei of Izon nation is, however, flabbergasted that a section of the media mischievously linked the meeting to the stoppage of the his pipeline surveillance contract, even though payment had not been made for the services rendered in the renewed contract, or termination of appointments.

Describing is it as highly provocative and despicable; he said he was considering calling off the meeting, if anything, to show that he had no bad intention and would want Niger Delta to remain peaceful under the President Muhammadu Buhari government.

Vanguard gathered that leaders across the region had called Tompolo, yesterday, advising him to cancel the meeting, as the intention was likely to be misconstrued.

However, the group of MEND, which refused to disband after Tompolo and others disbanded the militant group in 2009, yesterday, in a statement by Jomo Gbomo, distanced itself from the meeting.

Source – vanguardngr.com

What Tompolo, MEND Leaders Will Discuss As They Regroup In Bayelsa

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LEADER of the defunct Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger-Delta, MEND and High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, aka Tompolo, yesterday, summoned commanders and leaders of the various wings of the militant group to an emergency meeting, tomorrow in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

He did not state agenda of the meeting, but Tompolo, who is the Ibe-Ebidouwei of Ijaw nation, in the invitation, said the meeting, which will hold at Izon House, Yenagoa, was important.

His words, “My dearly beloved Commanders and Leaders of various wings of the Movement of the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, I greet you all. It is my pleasure to humbly invite you to a very crucial and urgent meeting.”

A source told Vanguard, “The place of the Niger Delta in the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari and appraisal of the former President Goodluck Jonathan government in view of the current happenings in the country will be tabled for discussion at the meeting. The meeting is restricted only to those invited, it is not an all comers meeting, we will make our position known after the meeting.”

...Militants

Tompolo and other ex-militant leaders officially disbanded MEND after they accepted amnesty offered them by the administration of former President Umaru Yar’Adua in 2009.
But, a faction of MEND, which did not accept amnesty continued to operate the militant group and stated their disapproval of Jonathan government, but it was obvious that the moving forces behind the group had abandoned it.

Tomorrow’s meeting is the first time all the former commanders and leaders of the militant group are meeting formally since it was disbanded in 2009.

Source – Vanguard

We Will Resume Hostilities If Lawmakers Don’t Adjust Jumbo Pay, MEND Threatens

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The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, has warned that it could resume hostilities should the 8th National Assembly fail to check the ridiculous salaries/ allowances of lawmakers at the detriment of other Nigerians.

The spokesperson, Jomo Gbomo,  in  a statement, said, “The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has observed with disgust, the brazing disregard for the feelings of the change-seeking masses by very selfish members of the Eight National Assembly.”

Its words, “If the lawmakers refuse to make the necessary adjustments needed to accompany the needs of the masses and the Niger Delta region, it may lead to the resumption of hostilities and Nigerians should hold the Eight National Assembly responsible should that happen. Enough is enough.”

“These wicked individuals appropriate to themselves huge and absurd salaries/Allowances at the expense of the millions of hapless Nigerians, who have not been paid for months their salaries, pensions and other due benefits they deserve.”

“The Niger Delta region where the bulk of revenue that sustains the nation continues to suffer neglect, environmental degradation and lack, made worse by the very corrupt and visionless past government of Goodluck Jonathan and his cronies, some of who still shamelessly parade themselves on national television and other media platforms as Niger Delta activists,” the group asserted.

Read More: vanguardngr

MEND Salutes Buhari, Hails Jonathan

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Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, has commended the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) on his victory in the 2015 presidential elections, saying Nigerians made the right choice.

The group in a statement by its spokesperson, Jomo Gbomo, said, “The Nigerian people have spoken and elected General Mohammadu Buhari to be the next President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” adding, “In doing so, we have not only made the right choice of a new leadership, we have also reaffirmed the strength of our democracy.”

“President-elect, General Mohammadu Buhari’s message of hope, freedom and opportunity resonates with our group, as it does with the Nigerian people.

In these difficult times, with the economic crisis and security challenges, we are confident that under your leadership, Nigeria will once again regain its peace and unity,” the group asserted.?

MEND also lauded President Goodluck Jonathan for his outstanding show of statesmanship “in conceding defeat and setting precedence as the first ever incumbent Nigerian President to be defeated and concede defeat, without any interference.”

Credit: Vanguard

Tompolo, Ex-MEND Commanders Hold Secret Meeting in Asaba

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Ex- militant leader, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, held a meeting in Asaba, Delta State, with former top commanders of the defunct Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, from Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers states.

A dependable source, said: “The meeting was convened by Tompolo to deliberate with his former colleagues on next month’s presidential election as it affects President Goodluck Jonathan, who is an Ijaw indigene.

“They also reviewed the support of the nonoperational MEND for the All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd), and agreed on ways to mobilise ex-agitators in the region for the PDP presidential candidate.”

The ex-MEND commanders reportedly left Asaba after the meeting for their respective states.

Credit: Vanguard Nigeria

Tompolo, Ex-MEND Commanders Hold Secret Meeting In Asaba

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EX-MILITANT leader, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, held a meeting, yesterday, in Asaba, Delta State, with former top commanders of the defunct Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, from Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers states.

*Tompolo

A dependable source, said: “The meeting was convened by Tompolo to deliberate with his former colleagues on next month’s presidential election as it affects President Goodluck Jonathan, who is an Ijaw indigene.

“They also reviewed the support of the nonoperational MEND for the All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd), and agreed on ways to mobilise ex-agitators in the region for the PDP presidential candidate.”

The ex-MEND commanders reportedly left Asaba after the meeting for their respective states.

The source added “It is a top-secret meeting. I cannot tell you more than that. I am even surprised how you got to know about the meeting.”

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MEND Doesn’t Exist, Says Asari-Dokubo

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The leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force (NDPVF), Alhaji Asari-Dokubo, has said the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) is a faceless organisation which no longer existed as far as the struggle for people’s emancipation in the region is concerned.

Speaking against the background of the controversial statement issued last week by MEND endorsing the candidacy of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), the former militant leader described the acronym, MEND, as a pseudonym being used by the imprisoned Henry Okah to deceive ignorant persons.

Asari Dokubo also said the name, Gbomo Jomo, who always signed statements on behalf of MEND, was not known to belong to any nationality in the Niger Delta region.

“Our people say birds of a same feather flock together, it is not strange that this organisation is endorsing  Buhari. First, I have always maintained that there is nothing like MEND.

“When I was in prison, the organisation I lead, NDPVF, the NDPSF and other organisations came together to stop arrest and they formed a faceless organisation, some guys, including Henry Okah, were sent to me in Kuje prison for us to get a name and my opinion on what they were going to do, I accepted though majority of members of NDPV resisted it, I told them that we should be faceless and so they formed MEND.

“General Taminu was supposed to be the head, but it does not exist, Alaibe was supposed to be secretary, it does not exist. Gbomo Jomo, which is not a name known to any nationality in the Niger Delta does not exist,” he said.

On the allegation made by President Goodluck Jonathan that Henry Okah planned to assassinate him, Dokubo said: “What the president said is belated. The president had known since 2007 that Henry Okah wanted to kill him. For saying it, it is the fault of Ijaw leaders including Chief E.K Clark who have been sweeping this thing, it under the carpet. And one day, the debris under the carpet will become too much that the carpet will be undulated.

“Now, it is undulated, the stench is coming out and the President could no longer hold it. He has now come out to say Henry Okah wanted to assassinate him which was true. Henry even said the President and myself are not Ijaw people.

He debunked media reports credited to him that he was going to invade Yoruba land, saying “There was no such statement. Everybody knows that when I make a statement, I own up to it. There is no such thing. I never made it. You know, a lot of times, they ascribe a lot of things to me.”

Credit: thisdaylive.com

We Never Endorsed Buhari — Ex-Mend Commanders

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The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, may have been hit by a crisis, following the purported endorsement of General Muhamadu Buhari (rtd) of the All Progressives Congress, APC, for the presidential election, as a former leader of the group, ‘Gen’ Reuben Wilson, has called on Nigerians to disregard the said endorsement.

He said that the ex-militants were all for President Goodluck Jonathan in next month’s presidential election.

But Jomo Gbomo, who speaks for the group, has lambasted the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Ijaw Youth Congress, IYC, for questioning its credibility and describing MEND as a ghost organisation because of its proclaimed support for Buhari.

Gbomo said: “MEND views the recent question and statement credited to the PDP National publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, as very callous and irresponsible. The question: ‘Explain your connections with MEND’ further confirms and vindicates our views about President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP.

“MEND strongly denies any links with the APC and has never been approached for anything, at any point in time, by the party, as alleged by Olisa Metuh.”

Wilson, on his part who spoke for the ex-militant commanders, called on Nigerians to ignore the Buhari endorsement story, describing same as part of the APC, propaganda ahead of the general elections.

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I would have Rejected MEND’s Endorsement- Jonathan

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In a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati, noted that for a faction of MEND that had attacked venues where the President was presiding over events at least two times, the attack on the person of the President did not come as a surprise.

President Jonathan therefore advised General Mohammadu Buhari not to “place any stock on his purported endorsement by the renegade faction of MEND which is led by a convicted and unrepentant terrorist with whom no leader who truly means well for Nigeria should be associated”.

The statement reads:

“We have noted with amusement, the vituperations against President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan by the renegade faction of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) headed by the convicted terrorist, Henry Okah in a statement issued to endorse the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.

“While we thank all people of the Niger Delta, including the former militants whom MEND claims to represent who have already disassociated themselves from the statement issued by the faceless Jomo Gbomo and reaffirmed their unflinching support for President Jonathan’s re-election, we will like to state that the latest assault on the President by Henry Okah and his stooges did not come as a surprise to us at all.

“It was very much to be expected, coming as it did from an individual and group who have never hidden their vengeful personal animosity against the President and who have even gone to the extent of launching murderous assaults on venues at which the President was present on two occasions.

“It is most regrettable indeed that rather than show remorse for the terrorist acts against his fatherland for which he is now rightly serving a term of imprisonment in South Africa, Henry Okah continues to pursue a pointless personal vendetta against President Jonathan who continues to advance and protect the interests of the people of the Niger Delta which Okah and his group threatened with their misguided actions.

“The vituperations against President Jonathan in the MEND statement endorsing General Buhari are mischievous, baseless and deliberately styled to denigrate the good works of the President.

“It is well known that President Jonathan played a significant role in ending the militancy and insurgency in the Niger Delta.

“Under his watch, the destruction of oil facilities and the incessant kidnapping and killing of expatriates in the Niger Delta waterways have become a thing of the past.

“The attempt by Jomo Gbomo’s MEND to rewrite history by tarnishing the person of President Jonathan for selfish, pecuniary and political gains will amount to an exercise in futility.

“All patriotic and right-thinking Nigerians must consider an endorsement from a convicted criminal and his group who harbor evil intentions against the unity and progress of their country as a poisoned chalice.

“President Jonathan would never have accepted such an endorsement from terrorists and renegades.

“The President therefore advises General Buhari not to place any stock on his purported endorsement by the renegade faction of MEND which is led by a convicted and unrepentant terrorist with whom no leader who truly means well for Nigeria should be associated”

Credit: 

10 Things You Need To Know This Morning #NewsBits

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Good morning! Here are 10 things you need to know this morning:

1. President Goodluck Jonathan in a campaign speech yesterday in Lagos accused Henry Okah, leader of MEND who is currently in South African Prison for attempting to assassinate him during the 50th independence anniversary of the country. He said Okah was paid by some people to kill him. He also said that some people have been endorsed by the same group that attempted to kill him few years ago. Jonathan also said his generation has failed Nigerians hence he is ready to work with the youth to take the country to the moon. He accused his critics of doing nothing for the country in the past.

2. Yaya Toure of Manchester City, for the fourth time was crowned the Glo/CAF African Footballer of the Year, beating Nigeria’s Vincent Enyeama and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the award which held on Thursday. Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Asisat Oshoala won the African Woman Player of the Year.

3. Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo has continued to reiterate his position on national issues as he disclosed yesterday in his Hiltop home in Abeokuta, Ogun state that he can sacrifice his life in the interest of Nigeria, but cannot do the same for any political party. He was addressing the presidential candidate of the National Conscience Party, Dr. Martins Onovo who visited his home.

4. A former leader of MEND , ‘Gen’ Reuben Wilson, has called on Nigerians to disregard the said endorsement of Gen. Buhari by the group, assuring Jonathan’s supporters and the PDP that all former militants in the region are in support of the President and his reelection bid.

5. The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) has asked President Goodluck Jonathan to send more soldiers and other security operatives to the North-East region to confront the Boko Haram insurgents instead of keeping soldiers for the coming election. Buhari said this while addressing stakeholders of Ogoni ethnic nationality in Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State on Thursday.

6.Report now has it that Twenty-two governorship aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party in Akwa Ibom State, also known as G22, have left the PDP for the All Progressives Congress. Report says the aggrieved aspirants will meet the APC’s presidential candidate, Major-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, on Monday, December 12, 2015.

7.The Independent National Electoral Commission has said that at least, 38,774,391 Nigerians now have their Permanent Voter Cards, . This was disclosed in a statement issued on Thursday by the Chief Press Secretary to the Chairman of the commission, Mr. Kayode Idowu.

8. The senator representing Anambra Central and the South East zonal coordinator of All Progressives Congress, APC, Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Chris Ngige, has said that APC would be victorious in the February 14, 2015 presidential election on the first ballot. He based his conclusion on a recent research. He gave the prediction while addressing reporters in Awka as part of the preparations for the launching of the APC campaign in the South East.

9. MEND in its reaction to the criticism of its endorsement of the All Progressives Congress candidate, Maj.-Gen.Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), for the presidency in the 2015 elections, has insisted that Buhari is the best candidate in the race, saying that the reaction of the PDP to its endorsement of Buhari showed how inept the government of Jonathan is. It further denied that it has been paid by the APC.

10. The Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, on Thursday, said that President Goodluck Jonathan should not be blamed for the woes of Nigeria. In a speech while receiving Jonathan at his palace in Lagos, Akiolu said the problems in the country had started.

Source – Daily Post Ng

MEND Says Ijaws Youths’ Empty Threat Won’t Stop Their Support For GMB

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The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has restated its stand that President Goodluck Jonathan should be voted out of Aso Rock next month.

The group has been under fire since it publicly declared its support for the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.) few days back.

MEND asked Nigerians to discard the ‘empty noise’ by the Ijaw Youth Council, the Peoples Democratic Party and other ex-militants in the Niger Delta region over its support for the candidature of the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Muhammadu Buhari.

In a release issued on Thursday, MEND’s Spokesperson “Jomo Gbomo” described the statement credited to the Peoples Democratic Party Spokesperson, Olisa Metuh, as “callous and irresponsible”.

Credit: dailypost.ng

MEND Endorses Buhari For President, Says Voting Jonathan Is Biggest Mistake Niger Deltans Ever Made

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Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has, upon careful consideration of the state of the Nation, endorses and fully support the Presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), General Mohammadu Buhari.

Our decision to throw our full support on General Mohammadu Buhari stems from the pathetic state in which the country has been put by the government of Goodluck Jonathan and our strong believe in General Mohammadu Buhari as the man and change the country needs.

President Goodluck Jonathan does not deserve a second more in the Presidency as soon as his tenure expires as he has continuously and blatantly disregarded the very people who voted him into office.

A President that told Nigerian to their faces that he does not “give a damn” when asked to declare his assets. A requirement that is constitutional on assuming the office of the President.

President Jonathan, since assuming his office, has setup countless number of “Committees”, none of which their reports has ever been implemented. From the Nuhu Ribadu report to the KPMG and Fuel Subsidy reports, just to mention a few.

How can Nigerians expect a highly corrupt person like Goodluck Jonathan to fight corruption when he believes that “stealing is not corruption”, as he shamelessly told the Nation? He has proven beyond all reasonable doubt, his inability to tackle corruption or prosecute a single government official in his six (6) years in office.

MEND finds it laughable the recent statement by Goodluck Jonathan on his governments plan to fight corruption. This statement not only smacks of ignorance to the highest order, but also shows just how stupid he thinks Nigerians are. A president that had six years to tackle the problem but chose to shield corrupt government officials, joined in the looting of our resources and now has the temerity to say his government “has a plan” to fight corruption. This is a big slap in the face of every single Nigerian!

We re-state our disregard and lack of confidence in President Goodluck Jonathan. Rather than address the perennial issues in the country responsible for his administrations failures, he is concentrating government funds in a campaign of misinformation intended to hoodwink Nigerians who, unfortunately for him, are now wiser and smarter than he is.

Goodluck Jonathan’s actions, utterances and arrogance prove that he is totally disconnected with the situation facing the ordinary Nigerian and completely out of touch with reality.

OFFICE OF THE FIRST LADY
MEND commends General Mohammad Buhari for his plans, when elected as President, to scrap the so-called “Office of the First Lady”. This is obviously an irrelevant, fraudulent and unconstitutional office, whose only purpose is to further plunder the resources of the country.

Nigerians and the EFCC appear to have forgotten that this “First Lady” Mrs Patience Jonathan was in the process of being charged with attempts to launder stolen money to the United Kingdom, barely a few months after President Jonathan was sworn in as President. The same offence former Governor James Ibori was charged with.

In the wake of the still-missing Chibok school girls abduction, the “First Lady”, rather than being embarrassed by her husbands inability on how to handle the situation, was instead worried about his tarnished legacy and even considered the Bring Back our Girls Campaigners a nuisance and upsetting to their daily exercise of redirecting Nigeria’s resources to the their private coffers.

President Jonathan and the PDP have continuously exploited every national tragedy for political gains. They have politicised the Boko Haram insurgency for political gains. They used regional and religious sentiments as a cheap strategy but Nigerians know better.

THE NIGER DELTA REGION

Since President Goodluck Jonathan assumed office, the Niger Delta region has experienced excruciating poverty faced by the people, worse pollution and environmental degradation and not once has he ever come out to openly condemn the destruction of our environment by the activities of irresponsible oil companies.

Recent reports confirm the country is losing billions of Dollars in oil revenue due to oil theft. This theft has been aided by the pot-bellied Nigerian Army generals, in connivance with corrupt Nigerian government officials, the Joint Task Force and the Nigerian Navy. It is no wonder the once respected Nigerian Military has been reduced to a ragtag Army by the Boko Haram Terrorists. It can only take a bold and courageous man like General Mohammadu Buhari to tackle the insecurity and oil theft plaguing the nation. He has done it before and he will and can do it again!

The Niger Delta region has the Ministry of the Niger Delta, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) and the largest percentage in oil revenue allocation, yet the region has nothing to show for all these due to a very corrupt government and system in place. We are confident that a General Mohammadu Buhari presidency would probe these agencies and divert all stolen revenue back to the development of the region and Nigeria as a whole.

Regrettably, our so-called “Freedom Fighters”, “Niger Delta Activists”, “elders”, Royal Fathers and politicised groups such as the Ijaw Youth Congress (IYC), United Niger Delta Energy Development Security Strategy (UNDESS) and several other castrated and myopic groups from the region have lost focus. Rather than speaking out against corruption, impunity, underdevelopment, degradation of our environment, unemployment and the impoverished living of the ordinary Niger Deltan, prefer to turn themselves into political praise singers of the government to enrich themselves while the region is still licking the wounds of marginalization. We say you are all cowards and shame unto you all! You now feast on the sweat and blood of great Niger Delta leaders like Isaac Adaka Boro and Ken Saro-Wiwa while the region remains impoverished, underdeveloped and polluted.

It is very clear that the Niger Delta region now regrets voting a corrupt and incompetent leader who they believed would transformation to the region, in spite of our earlier warnings about Goodluck Jonathan. He (Goodluck Jonathan) has only succeeded in infecting the region with poverty, corruption and mal-administration. This is our chance not to repeat this costly blunder of 2011.

We challenge every Niger Deltan to ask yourself if the region is any better under Goodluck Jonathan than it was under a sick Late President Musa Yar’Adua. We are convinced that the people of the Niger Delta have woken up to realise that voting Goodluck Jonathan simply because of tribe, was the biggest mistake they made.

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) urges Nigerians to ignore the empty threats and provocative comments from political thugs parading themselves as “ex-militants” and “Freedom Fighters”. These spineless cowards want Nigerians to believe that there will be no peace if Goodluck Jonathan is not re-elected into office despite the billions of dollars spent on the “Amnesty Programme” to reform these miscreants.

Nigeria needs change, the Niger Delta needs change and General Mohammadu Buhari is the change the Country desperately needs.

For our Freedom and Yours.

Jomo Gbomo

 

Credit:  Sahara Reporters