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| We Shall Defend Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s Mandate With the last drop of our blood |
Niger Delta ex-militants have vowed to defend the mandate of President Goodluck Jonathan with their blood should the emerging crisis from the Northern part of the country threaten the President’s victory at the polls.
The Niger Delta ex-militant leaders were quick to warn: “We want all Nigerians and the international community to understand that if a Niger Deltan cannot be accepted to legitimately govern Nigeria despite our contribution to the economic well-being of the country, we shall not allow a non-Niger Deltan to rule over our resources.”
The militants, numbering 24, rose from their meeting, condemning “in very strong terms, the post election violence being perpetrated and sponsored in parts of northern Nigeria by disgruntled politicians and crises-profiteers.
“We regard the outbreak of violent protests as uncalled for, barbaric and very retrogressive. But we dare assert that this sponsored violence does not in any way mirror or reflect the inner feelings of overwhelming majority of the northern masses.
“The northern masses, just like their brothers and sisters in the South, particularly the Niger Delta, are victims of years of misrule under the same persons orchestrating the post-election violence across the north.”
In a communique entitled: “We Shall Defend Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s Mandate With the last drop of our blood,” the militants called on the “long suffering northern masses to resist the negative, selfish and self-serving antics of the political jobbers who are behind the political violence across the north.
We urge the northern masses to challenge these crises profiteers to withdraw their sons and daughters from their expensive schools abroad to join the riots that they are instigating.”
The communiqué reads:
“We, the leaders, former Generals and Commanders of defunct combatant camps and groups in the Niger Delta met today, Monday 18th April 2011 where we extensively deliberated on crucial national issues, especially the outcome of the presidential elections held last weekend and resolve as follows:
“1. To Congratulate the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Atahiru Jega for successfully conducting what has gone down in history as the fairest and freest presidential election in the history of Nigeria. We however urge him to speedily declare the formal final result of the presidential election which is already well known to all Nigerians
“2. We congratulate His Excellency, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan GCFR, for being the first sitting President of Nigeria to have conducted a transparently free, fair and credible election even while he stood the risk of losing at the polls. We note that it is the first time a sitting President has fully funded the Independent National Electoral Commission without interfering whatsoever in the commission’s affairs.
“3. We also congratulate Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for winning, most resoundingly, last Saturday’s Presidential election. We are urging those who lost at the presidential polls to accept the result which indeed is the verdict of the people of our great country they themselves aspired to govern. They must also accept the verdict of God who alone bestows leadership on who He deems fit. God Almighty has chosen Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan as Nigeria’s leader for the next four years and this fact must be respected by all
“4. We condemn in very strong terms, the post election violence being perpetrated and sponsored in parts of northern Nigeria by disgruntled politicians and crises_profiteers. We regard the outbreak of violent protests as uncalled_for, barbaric and very retrogressive. But we dare assert that this sponsored violence does not in any way mirror or reflect the inner feelings of overwhelming majority of the northern masses. The northern masses, just like their brothers and sisters in the south, particularly the Niger Delta, are victims of years of misrule under the same persons orchestrating the post_election violence across the north.
Because the northern masses share similar deprivation as their southern compatriots, they thronged voting centres in their respective wards last Saturday to vote for change, to vote for a fresh and better start, they voted for Dr. Jonathan who we all know is all too poised to pave the way for a better future for our great country
“5. We call on the long suffering northern masses to resist the negative, selfish and self_serving antics of the political jobbers who are behind the political violence across the north. We urge the northern masses to challenge these crises profiteers to withdraw their sons and daughters from their expensive schools abroad to join the riots that they are instigating
“6. We urge our brothers and sisters in the south, especially Niger Deltans to see what is happening in the North as merely bait or trap to join the fray. We must resist this temptation even when we have the capacity and capability to retaliate violence in any form or shape. Instead of succumbing to this temptation, we wish to thank all Nigerians for the national mandate they have given our dear brother, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. We note that because of the overwhelming support of Nigerians irrespective of region, tribe, tongue, religion, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan has become the product of the freest and fairest election in Nigeria.
“7. We affirm that we shall not retaliate any violence targeted at us, at least for now. We are however calling on the international community as well as all men and women of good conscience to promptly prevail on this political jobbers who are stoking the embers of war across the north to sheath swords given that the consequences of their action would most likely endanger the unity of this country. We are proud to say that since independence, the people of the Niger Delta have nurtured and nourished Nigeria with our God_given natural and human resources.
And since 1960, a section of this country has consistently produced either the President or Head of State of our nation and the people of Niger Delta, the goose that lay the golden eggs, have consistently backed the north and continued to water the seed of unity and development of the country. We are piqued that for once, an eminently qualified Niger Deltan has won the freest and fairest presidential election in Nigeria and some crises_profiteers in the north are sponsoring violent protests. It is so sad and regrettable.
“8. We are solidly behind the Nigerian mandate given Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and we shall join the teeming populace of Nigerians to defend the mandate with the last drop of our blood. On this score, we are calling all ethnic nationalities in the south of this country to temporarily return home for communal consultations as we await keenly the direction things will go in Nigeria in the next 48 hours. Similarly we have directed all our Generals and commanders to retreat to their communities and points and await further instructions in the next 48 hours.
“9. We are also calling on the National Security Adviser and all security agencies to secure the lives and properties of all northerners and southerners alike in all parts of the country so as to avoid the escalation of the post_election crisis. We wish to remind them that it is their responsibility to stop those who hide under whatever guise to perpetrate criminality. Indeed we know for sure that if the ugly events playing out across the north had happened in the Niger Delta, the nation’s security agencies would have brought to bear the full weight of the law, including even the declaration of a state of emergency.
“10. We commensurate with the families of the victims of the dastardly political violence in some parts of the North. We console those who have lost loved ones and heard_earned property and pray that the Good Lord who aided the emergence of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan as the popularly elected President of Nigeria will replenish their loses in record time.
“11. Very importantly, we want all Nigerians and the international community to understand that if a Niger Deltan cannot be accepted to legitimately govern Nigeria despite our contribution to the economic well_being of the country, we shall not allow a non_Niger Deltan to rule over our resources.
Signed:
· Chief Government Ekpemupolo (a.k.a. Gen. Tompolo)
· Chief Ateke Tom
· Alhaji Asari Dokubo
· Chief Bibopre Ajube (a.k.a. Shoot At Sight)
· General Ezekiel Akpasibewei
· Farah Dagogo
· Africa Ukparasia
· Paul Ezizi (a.k.a.Comdr. Ogunbos)
· Pastor Reuben Wilson
· Joshua Macaiver
· Ferdinand Amaibi (a.k.a. Busta rymes)
· Tamunegiyeifori Proby (a.k.a. Egbele)
· Kenneth Opusinji (kula Community)
· Kile Selky Torughedi (a.k.a. Gen.Young Shall Grow)
· Bonny Gawei
· Aboy Muturu
· Hendrick Opukeme
· Paul Bebenimibo
· Chief Dennis Otuaro
· Gomoh Ekiyou
· Saibakumo A.E
· Wilson Gbaire
· Andabafa Opunamah
· Soboma Jackrich
For and on behalf of all former Generals and Commanders of defunct combatant camps and groups in the Niger Delta”.
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