MEND turns against Buhari, says his cunning ways jeopardising peace in N’Delta

President Muhammadu Buhari’s avowed intention to continue to pursue peace initiatives in the Niger Delta may have received a blow as the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger-Delta (MEND) has passed a vote of no confidence on his government.

While the group vowed not to have any dealings with Buhari’s administration any longer, it also called on the President to stop his “cunning, crafty and un-statesman rhetoric about the Niger Delta region”, saying his utterances are only but jeopardising the fragile peace in the region.

MEND, a Niger Delta group had openly supported President Buhari against their own, former President Goodluck Jonathan during the 2015 general elections and have continued their support for Buhari after he emerged Nigerian President.

The initial moves about Federal government negotiation with Niger Delta militants was even spearheaded by MEND, which went as far as raising an Aaron Team 2 for negotiation before Niger Delta Avengers demanded that Chief Edwin Clark lead the militants negotiation team.

However, MEND fell apart with the Federal Government following the way President Muhammadu has been handling the crisis in the oil region.

In a statement by its spokesperson, Jomo Gbomo, MEND said, “Without prejudice to the pre- 2015 Presidential election endorsement freely and voluntarily given to President Muhammadu Buhari on January 6, 2015, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) hereby categorically and unequivocally pass a vote of no confidence on the government of President Buhari; specifically with regard to the government’s handling of the current Niger Delta crisis.”

While it described the President as being insincere with talks about peace in the region, MEND also called on the FG to direct the relevant agency of government to immediately commence dialogue with the Niger Delta region; as duly and ably represented by PANDEF.

“We hereby demand that President Muhammadu Buhari must put a stop to his cunning, crafty and un-statesman rhetoric about the Niger Delta region as they have only served the purpose of jeopardizing the fragile peace in the region.

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“Furthermore, notice is hereby given to the Federal Government that all Niger Delta militant commanders and/or individuals, who were tracked and arrested while observing a ceasefire ahead of talks with the federal government, should be treated well.”

“They should be allowed access to their lawyers, the International Red Cross and a delegation from PANDEF so as to ascertain their wellbeing and ensure they have not been tortured or killed, extra judicially”, MEND said.

MEND cited Buhari’s initial reluctant in meeting with PANDEF, ‘arrogance’ controversial, prejudicial, conflicting and contradictory statements about the politics and economy of the oil-rich region as the reason it fell out with Buhari’s administration.

It went further to say, “Since after he assumed the reins, President Muhammadu Buhari has always, for reasons best known to him, held the Niger Delta region in contempt; while accusing and/or blackmailing the leadership of the region of not being ready for dialogue whereas it is the Federal Government who are not ready or willing to name a Team to dialogue with the people.

“Prior to the inauguration of PANDEF, the several sessions of dialogue held between representatives of MEND, on the one hand; and those of the Federal Government, on the other hand; where concessions were secured for the release of the Okah brothers and several other political detainees and prisoners of conscience was a grand deception on the part of the Federal Government. “After the MEND/FG dialogue, which was publicly confirmed by no less a person than President Buhari in his farewell remarks to Mr. Michael Zinner, the out-going German Ambassador to Nigeria, President Buhari reneged on the agreements reached at the dialogue.

“And following on the heels of the breach of the agreements, President Buhari personally wrote and signed a damaging and prejudicial letter to the Government of South Africa in an attempt to wilfully truncate the on-going peace process in Nigeria; sabotage the legal options open to Henry Okah and simultaneously influence the on-going trial of Charles Okah and others, at the Federal High Court in Abuja, in favour of the Federal Government.”

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