The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has dissociated itself from reports being circulated in some sections of the media that it had endorsed the second-term bid of Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State.
A statement on Tuesday by MEND’s spokesman, Gbomo Jomo, countered Monday’s statement by Prince Amaibi Horby, who claimed to be MEND’s acting chairman, that the group had endorsed Dickson.
In the statement, MEND said it did not endorse the governor, while accusing him of paying thugs to misinform the public that he had been endorsed by the group.
The statement read: “The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) wishes to dissociate itself from an imposter and self-acclaimed “Acting Chairman” of MEND, going by the name of ‘Prince Amaibi Horby (aka General Busta Rhymes)’ who claims to be speaking for MEND by endorsing Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, for the December 05, 2015 governorship elections.
“This so-called support and endorsement was circulated in some sections of the media on Monday, 23 November 2015.
“MEND wishes to state categorically, that we do not endorse or support Governor Seriake Dickson in a way, shape or form and strongly urges the media to disregard any such statements to the contrary, as it did not emanate from MEND.
“As far as we know, Governor Seriake Dickson, in his desperation to be re-elected as Governor of Bayelsa State, has paid a group of thugs to use our group’s name to endorse his ambition.”