FORMER militants from the Niger Delta have held an emergency meeting in a coastal town, in the outskirts of Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital to, among other things, articulate a proper response to the violent protests in the north against the victory of President Goodluck Jonathan at the weekend’s polls.
They congratulated the President, pledged their unflinching support for him and warned against any plot to undermine his government.
A six-point communiqué released at the end of that meeting was signed by 24 of the former militants. They include 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 Rhymes, Tamunegiyeifori Proby (a.k.a. Egbele), Kenneth Opusinji (kula Community), Kile Selky Torughedi (a.k.a. Gen. Young Shall Grow) Bonny Gawei, Aboy Muturu, and Hendrick Opukeme.
Others are Paul Bebenimibo, Chief Dennis Otuaro, Gomoh Ekiyou, Saibakumo A. E, Wilson Gbaire, Andabafa Opunamah and Soboma Jackrich.
In a communiqué released after a meeting on Monday, the ex-militants, who were reacting to the spate of riots in parts of the North, to protest the victory of President Jonathan at the presidential election on Saturday, also called on all Southerners to return home for consultation.
They said they would not immediately take a retaliatory action because of what happened in the North, as they saw the rioting as a bait from troublemakers to escalate the crisis.
The communique, which did not state the venue of the meeting, read in part: “We, the leaders, former generals and commanders of defunct combatant camps and groups in the Niger Delta met today, Monday April 18, 2011 where we extensively deliberated on crucial national issues, especially the outcome of the presidential elections held last weekend.”
The former militants congratulated the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Atahiru Jega, for successfully conducting what had gone down in history as the fairest and freest presidential election in Nigeria. They also congratulated President Jonathan for being the first sitting president of Nigeria to have conducted a free, fair and credible election, even while he stood the risk of losing at the polls and for being declared winner in the election.
The ex-militants urged those who lost at the polls to accept the results which, they said, were the verdicts of the people of the country.
The release condemned in strong terms, the post-election violence being perpetrated and sponsored in parts of the North by some politicians, adding that they were uncalled for.
They restated their commitment to the mandate of President Jonathan, adding that they would join other Nigerians to defend the mandate with the last drop of their blood.
Sources:
http://tribune.com.ng/index.php/news/20672-well-defend-jonathans-mandate-with-our-blood-ex-militants
NUTSHELL:
The backlash from past crises in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and other MENA (Middle East North Africa) states suggests that GEOPOLITICS is a very strong influence on hydrocarbon prices and market dynamics in general. Nigeria's elections have revealed the darker side of the nation's political underbelly. The world is watching, studying and hoping that further complexity is not added to the already fragile oil dynamics that have practically grabbed the world economy by its throat. In any case, oil exporters will always be in business and will always gain, know?
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