Former President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday said the Movement for
the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) is still plotting to
assassinate him, just as he denied being a sponsor of the Niger Delta
Avengers (NDA).
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| Ex-president Jonathan |
He spoke four days after he declared in Abuja during a visit to
President Muhammadu Buhari that there is no alternative to Nigeria’s
unity.
Jonathan was at the Presidential Villa on August 3, two days after
the NDA’s botched attempt to declare Niger Delta Republic in Kaiama,
Bayelsa State.
In a statement in Abuja by his media aide Ikechukwu Eze, Jonathan
said he was responding to the claims that he is a sponsor of NDA “to the
extent that the group’s hidden intent poses a violent threat” to his
life.
Jonathan’s statement reads: “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.
“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 Umaru 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 MEND, a violent and murderous underground
group led by one Henry Okah, 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 detonated their bombs in other parts of
Abuja, resulting in the death of many innocent Nigerians. It is no
secret that following that incident, Okah, 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.
“Those who have been following the unsavoury developments in some
parts of the country since the last general elections, especially the
ones that held in the Southsouth states, would have noticed that the
nefarious MEND, their pay masters and other unscrupulous elements in the
region, have been striving fruitlessly to exploit the ensuing
confusion, by surreptitiously working for the fulfilment of its
yet-to-be declared political agenda. It is our considered view that the
statement in question is an off-shoot of that ignoble plan; this time
plotting to rubbish and torpedo the ongoing peace efforts in the region.
“While we believe that God Almighty would continue to protect the
former President against the evil machinations of these undesirable
elements, we wish to also point out that Jonathan is prepared to do
anything within the limit of our laws to ensure that he enjoys a
well-deserved peaceful post-presidential life without any hindrance.
“We are not under any illusion that more accusations and allegations
of this nature would not be hurled Jonathan’s way in the future,
especially as his enemies appear to have perfected the act of throwing
mud each time his profile gains added impetus and acclaim. But we are
very positive that he can never be fazed by such negative energy. Like
the eagle, Dr. Ebele Goodluck Jonathan will continue to soar over his
traducers.”
Source: Abusidiqu
