Ex-militant leaders in the Niger Delta have described former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar as an incorrigible enemy of their region, following his vivid role in the crises currently rocking the ambitions of President Goodluck Jonathan in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The leaders of the ex-militants who are from all the states of the region come under the auspices of the Leadership, Peace and Cultural Development Initiative collectively.
The former militants who confirmed that they are still “waiting patiently for the Federal Government to fully implement the terms of the amnesty programme” converged on Bayelsa State capital,Yenagoa to assess the current political developments in the country.
But after the meeting, president of the group, Gen. Reuben Wilson told journalists in Port Harcourt in Rivers State that Atiku with his group, has misfired, declaring himself as an enemy of the Niger Delta since he joined in “a political coup against Jonathan”.
Hence, Wilson said Atiku should apologise in the next seven days to the president for the public embarrassment.
“We dare say that they have misfired. What we expect Atiku to do in the next seven days is for him to apologize to the president for the public embarrassment.
“He has misled so many people, including the Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, who has abandoned governance in his state to follow the anti-Jonathan apostles”, he added.
He noted that the ex-militants who are aware of his (Atiku’s) vast business interest in the Niger Delta are, therefore warning him in his own interest to stay off the region.
“He cannot be enjoying our oil money and at the same time use the same money to fight against the owners of the oil.
“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.
“What we thought we would be he aring from the north is 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 allow an unhindered flow of oil from the creeks, we would 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 benefitted 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?
“It is the same northerners that vowed that they will make the country ungovernable for Jonathan? 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 Jonathan, to enable them take over power in 2015.”
“We are also asking Amaechi to return to his senses and disassociate himself from the northern agenda of destroying Jonathan; otherwise we will also be compelled to declare him an enemy of the people”, Wilson further warned.
“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 alleged that the fictionalization of the PDP is “a clear gang-up against the second term bid of President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015 by some bigwigs in the ruling party”.