•RNDA warns South-South govs
•21st Century Youths threaten oil companies
WARRI
– PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari and his foremost challenger, Alhaji Atiku
Abubakar, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have split Niger Delta
militants, causing them to speak in discordant tunes over who the people
of the region should support in next month’s presidential election.
President M Buhari and Atiku Recently, a self-styled coalition, known as
the 21st Century Youths for Restructuring, threatened to attack oil
facilities in the creeks if the Federal Government did not stop the move
to dock the Chief Justice of Nigerian, CJN, Justice Walter Onnoghen,
over alleged failure to declare his assets. However, another assembly of
Niger-Delta militants, led by the Reformed Niger Delta Avengers, RNDA,
and nine other militant groups, yesterday, said the former was working
for Atiku Abubakar and warned governors of the South-South to stop
playing politics with Onnoghen’s case. The 21st Century Youths in a
statement by its leader, self-styled “Gen” Izon Ebi, declared: “Niger
Delta people want restructuring and anything short of allowing our
people to freely exercise their rights and choose leaders that will
restructure Nigeria to meet modern and current reality will give us no
choice but to stop the activities of oil exploration and exploitation in
our land and ocean. “The current harassment, intimidation,
assassination attempt, forcible dismissal and retirement of
distinguished personalities and leaders of the Niger Delta from the
affairs of this country is no more acceptable. “Our wealth will not be
allowed to be used freely to run and sustain a system and a country that
does not appreciate and respect the people whose wealth is used to
sustain this country called Nigeria. “The six-count charge the federal
government preferred against Justice Onnoghen by the Code of Conduct
Tribunal bordering on false declaration of assets is another act of
dictatorship. “This unfortunate action of the APC and President Buhari’s
administration to intimidate the judiciary and undermine the rule of
law and separation of power in our democracy is unacceptable in this
21st century. “It is now clear to all Nigerians that this administration
is completely out of tune with the reality and situation we find
ourselves concerning the 2019 general election and the position of Niger
Delta people whose lives and existence are being threatened by the
activities of oil exploration and the insensitivity of the federal
government. “The 2019 general elections next month will determine a new
Nigeria or break the false marriage held in the Nigerian state without
the consent of Niger Delta people that gave birth to Nigeria in 1914.
“We applaud our distinguished Niger Delta leader, Pa E.K. Clark,
governors of the South-South and the Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators,
especially for their stance because it reflects and represents the
current reality and happenings that are no more acceptable to Niger
Delta people. “Anything short of a free, fair, credible and acceptable
election will give us no choice but to seek self-determination and
destiny take over. “The 21st Century Youths of Nigeria for Restructuring
and the 21st Century Youths of the Niger Delta and Agitators with
Conscience will not sit on the fence to watch the demonic and barbaric
script of some few unpatriotic, tribal and selfish leaders that are out
of tune with reality and civilization. “We, therefore, call on all
patriotic youths and fellow Nigerians to stand up and vote out the APC
and President Muhammadu Buhari in the general elections next month and
restore their dignity and liberty as a people because the APC and
President Buhari are synonymous with hardship.” RNDA warns But rising
from a meeting with various unit commanders at Benin River, Delta State,
RNDA, led by self-styled “Major- General” John Mark Ezonebi, aka Obama,
urged President Buhari and the Presidency to ignore and disregard the
purported empty threat made by the 21st Century Youths for
Restructuring in totality. It described them as “criminal elements of
youths, who do not exist anywhere in the creek of Niger Delta and being
used by some disgruntled looters of our national treasury, who are
supporters of Atiku/PDP Presidential Movement.” Ezonebi noted further:
“RNDA, hereby, warns the coalition to desist from their incessant
careless empty threats, otherwise the Reformed Niger Delta Avengers with
the coalition of the nine militant groups, will smoke them out from
their hiding places in the cities and expose their sponsors and
co-travellers in their ill-fated journey. “They should not forget so
soon how the RNDA with its affiliates brought the defunct Niger Delta
Avengers, NDA, activities to stand still in the creek.” N’Delta will
resist Buhari’s attempt to intimidate CJN Onnoghen – Clark Cautions
S’South govs The RNDA, however, warned South-South governors “not to
politicize the issue of non-declaration of assets by the CJN, who is the
head of an arm of government saddled with the responsibility of
interpreting the constitution, more so when the petitioner alleged that
$3 million was found in one of his foreign accounts. “It is a grievous
criminal offence being committed against his highly exalted office,
according to the sections prescribed in the Code of Conduct Bureau
established in the 1999 constitution as amended. Buhari’s ally defects
to Atiku camp, leads campaign in N/Delta “The South-South governors made
up more of PDP governors should not support any form of illegality and
should not compromise corruption allegations on grounds of ethnicity,
but look at the matter based on its merits and holistically. “As a
group, RNDA is not surprised at the stand of the South-South governors
on this matter because their mismanagement of resources has led to the
under-development of the Niger Delta. “We expect the South-South
governors to join hands with Mr President to fight corruption because
corruption is the reason the region is not developed over the years,
despite its huge economic importance to the country, particularly during
PDP’s wasted years of misrule. “More so, the governors of the Niger
Delta have not been able to account for the 13 per cent derivation funds
from the proceeds of crude oil, which has amounted to trillions of
naira that run into the pockets of governors and their cronies in
foreign accounts abroad. “In the first place, the funds are meant for
direct development of the oil producing communities in the creek of
Niger Delta. But the story is a sad tale against the constitutional
provisions of this 13 per cent funds. At the appropriate time, when we
get to the bridge, we are going to address this issue and the
abnormalities will be corrected.” On ceasefire On the reported abortion
of the ceasefire between Niger Delta militants and government, the group
said: “RNDA with the coalition of the nine militant groups in the
creek that accepted the ceasefire agreement with the federal government,
on the 21st of August 2016, want to use this opportunity to re-endorse
President Muhammadu Buhari for a second term in office.” It claimed that
the endorsement was “to enable the president complete the good works he
has done so far in the country, especially the anti corruption fight
and rebuilding of decayed infrastructure in the country.”
By Emma Amaize, South-South Editor
Source:- Vanguardngr
Share your thoughts