Dokubo, leaders of Niger Delta ex-agitators meet over 2019 polls
Citing Nigeria’s debt profile and spate of killings across the country, 14 militant groups, under the aegis of Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators (CNDA), have kicked against President Muhammadu Buhari’s second term bid.
The groups, in a statement signed by John Duku (Niger Delta Watchdogs); Ekpo Ekpo (Niger Delta Volunteers) and others, stated this while reacting to the endorsement of Buhari for a second term by the Reformed Niger Delta Avengers (RNDA).The CNDA leaders said the RNDA’s support for Buhari was for their own selfish and pecuniary interest and not in the overall interest of the Niger Delta people or militants.
They, therefore, urged the people to ignore the endorsement.Meanwhile, leaders of former agitators enlisted in the first phase of the Presidential Amnesty Programme have met with the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, Prof. Charles Dokubo, to chart a course ahead of the 2019 polls.
Top on the agenda of the meeting held on Tuesday at the instance of the former agitators at Casa De Lucy Hotel in Abuja, was the forthcoming presidential election.
Pastor Reuben Wilson, who led 31 phase one leaders of former agitators in the amnesty programme to the meeting, said it was to consult with Dokubo for a clear direction on political alignment of the Niger Delta people.
According to him, “this is the period of politics; people are moving from one political party to another. Presidential aspirants are meeting people every day and night but the committed leaders of the amnesty programme need to have a say. The reason being that we have a leader who is the head of this programme and the leader is no other person than you.”
But Dokubo, who described Buhari’s administration as reliable, said it was imperative for the people of Niger Delta to be at the mainstream politically to regain losses occasioned by being at the periphery.He said: “I am now making a political plea because you said you want to know where you can lean or move. For me, even if I don’t announce it to you, I come from an academic background, but I was appointed by a government. I will fight hard for this administration.”
He, therefore, enjoined them to do all within their legitimate means to return the government to power next year so that the Niger Delta could be at the centre and benefit more from the government.
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