The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has challenged President Goodluck Jonathan to name the “persons” he yesterday claimed paid Henry Okah to “assassinate” him, and explain why the individuals, whose identities he obviously knows, were not arrested, tried and convicted.
The challenge is contained in a press statement today by MEND spokesman Jomo Gbomo, who said his movement regards Jonathan’s campaign rally speech as “the most outrageous and ridiculous speech by any President.”
Mr. Jonathan’s allegations followed MEND’s endorsement earlier in the week of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“Mr President, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) say thank you for vindicating every word in our recent statement of endorsement of General Muhammadu Buhari and for also solidifying your status as a clueless, inept and bare face liar,” it said, stressing that its endorsement of the APC candidate has absolutely nothing to do with Mr. Okah.
It recalled that prior to the bomb blast of October 1, 2010, MEND issued a warning of an impending attack in Eagle Square, Abuja, in which it also advised the public to stay clear of any parked vehicles so as to avert any casualties. Those warnings, it said, were ignored by the Nigerian Security agencies, leading to the unfortunate and regrettable casualties.
“If as Goodluck Jonathan claimed, that he was a target of an “assassination” attempt, why did we issue a prior warning?” it questioned. Where in this world would an assassin warn their target in advance of an attempt on their life? This false allegation by Goodluck Jonathan, further confirms our earlier assertion of how he takes Nigerians for stupid as he seem to have forgotten how he openly came out to absolve MEND of any involvement in the attack. Rather than address his administration’s failures, he chose to descend so low by using a very cheap bare faced lie to get sympathy. Is this the kind of President the country wants to be stuck with for another four years of misery?”
Turning to the report on the National Dialogue report, MEND pointed out that Mr. Jonathan has finally resorted to cheap blackmail by urging the nation to vote for him as a condition to implementing the report, adding that it was a blatant insult on top of the billions of Naira spent on that jamboree.
MEND therefore urged Nigerians to use the power of their vote to secure it back from the claws of Goodluck Jonathan’s corrupt and inept government and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
