From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Kinsmen of former President Goodluck Jonathan have warned the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) and the Reformed Niger Delta Avengers (RNDA) to stop the campaign of calumny against him.
The kinsmen under the aegis of Ogbia Brotherhood in a press conference addressed by its National Chairman, Chief Benson Agadaga, condemned what they described as “the dangerous trend of spurious and wild allegations against our illustrious son, Dr. Jonathan by faceless individuals and mischief makers.”
They called on security agencies to investigate and unravel those behind the economic sabotage in the Niger Delta.
Agadaga, who said it was unthinkable to link Jonathan with sponsoring an armed outfit like the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) noted: “May I add with unequivocal terms that the allegation lacks substance and does not reflect the true position of the nature and original beliefs of a prominent son of Ogbia
“Their criminal and devilish intention and propaganda to rubbish the political status of Jonathan cannot be concealed with the hypocritical excuse of non-performance and failing to develop the Niger Delta region. The Niger Delta cannot benefit anything by eliminating and frustrating Jonathan, our only national and international voice. Jonathan’s commitment to the sanctity of life is further demonstrated by the fact that throughout his tenure as governor of Bayelsa State and as president of the country, there were no reported cases of extra-judicial killings and high profile assassinations. If MEND is in existence and wants to emancipate the Niger Delta as the name implies, then surely the right way to go is not thorough sinister moves to pull down and eliminate the divinely given and anointed personalities of their own region.”
Meanwhile, a group, Coalition of Niger Deltans for Justice and Development has also condemned what it called plots to malign and frame-up Jonathan.
The group President, Ebiakpo Barle, in a statement issued in Yenagoa, said the plot to link Jonathan to the activities of Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) was wicked and dangerous.
