The presidential candidate of the All Progressives’ Congress (APC), Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), on Tuesday gained an unusual support as the main agitating militant group in the Niger Delta, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), pledged its total support for the former military ruler.
MEND, in a lengthy press statement circulated through email by its spokesperson, Jomo Gbomo, anchored its decision on the need to deliver Nigeria, especially the Niger Delta region, from the crunching effects of corruption.
It also lamented the unconcerned attitude of the President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration at the unrelenting degradation of the Niger Delta environment, taking a hard stance on the increasing level of oil theft in the region.
President Jonathan, according to MEND, does not deserve a second more in the Presidency.
The group also commended Buhari for proposing to scrap the office of the First Lady, which it considered to be a drain on the nation’s resources and a conduit through which corrupt government officials stole across all levels of government.
It said, “The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has, upon careful consideration of the state of the nation, endorses and fully supports the presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Gen. Mohammadu Buhari.
“Our decision to throw our full support on Gen. Mohammadu Buhari stems from the pathetic state in which the country has been put by the government of Goodluck Jonathan and our strong believe in Buhari as the man and change the country needs.
“President Goodluck Jonathan does not deserve a second more in the Presidency as soon as his tenure expires as he has continuously and blatantly disregarded the very people who voted him into office.
“A President that told Nigerian to their faces that he does not ‘give a damn’ when asked to declare his assets. A requirement that is constitutional on assuming the office of the President.
“President Jonathan, since assuming his office, has setup countless committees, whose reports have never been implemented. From the Nuhu Ribadu report to the KPMG and fuel subsidy reports, just to mention a few.
“How can Nigerians expect a highly corrupt person like Goodluck Jonathan to fight corruption when he believes that stealing is not corruption, as he shamelessly told the Nation?
“He has proven beyond all reasonable doubt, his inability to tackle corruption or prosecute a single government official in his six years in office.
“MEND finds it laughable the recent statement by Goodluck Jonathan on his government’s plan to fight corruption. This statement not only smacks of ignorance of the highest order, but also shows just how silly he thinks Nigerians are. A president that had six years to tackle the problem but chose to shield corrupt government officials, joined in the looting of our resources and now has the temerity to say his government has a plan to fight corruption. This is a big slap in the face of every single Nigerian!
“We re-state our disregard and lack of confidence in President Goodluck Jonathan. Rather than address the perennial issues in the country responsible for his administrations failures, he is concentrating government funds in a campaign of misinformation intended to hoodwink Nigerians who, unfortunately for him, are now wiser and smarter than he is.
“Goodluck Jonathan’s actions, utterances and arrogance prove that he is totally disconnected with the situation facing the ordinary Nigerian and completely out of touch with reality.”
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