A coalition of Niger-Delta activists under the aegis of Vanguards of Nigeria’s Democracy on Saturday said it has uncovered clandestine moves by President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress to probe the administration of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan and send him to prison on trumped-up charges.
A statement issued by the spokesperson of VND, Osaghae Ogiemudia, in Abuja said recent events in the country have revealed that the Buhari’s regime was out to deal with the Niger-Delta people, especially the Ijaw ethnic group in Nigeria.
The coalition therefore advised the Ijaws to support the re-election of their “only son and only Ijaw governor, Henry Seriake Dickson in the forthcoming elections in Bayelsa State and resist all moves by APC to take over power through the back door. Ijaw people defecting to APC from PDP are all traitors.”
According to them, the plot to imprison Jonathan has been perfected with the ongoing controversy over Excess Crude Account and the allegation levelled against the immediate-past Minister of Finance/Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. (Mrs) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala by Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole.
Ogiemudia said that “The whole plan has been perfected and we know the direction of all the noise by Oshiomhole. We know their target and that is Jonathan.
“We, the members of the Vanguard of Nigeria’s Democracy are aware of some clandestine moves made by the APC led government to probe, investigate, malign and imprison ex President Jonathan.
“We are already aware of the trumped-up charges the APC government is leveling against a man who has diligently served the Nigerian State at the highest level of government.”
The group described as unsavory and patently repugnant, action by the APC led federal government, especially the anti-Niger Delta and the anti-Ijaw posturing of the APC led administration.
The group described what it called the anti-Niger Delta and anti-Ijaw posturing as against democracy, good governance, equity and good conscience.
“There is no gainsaying the fact that the most liberal Political Party that has ever ruled Nigeria is the Peoples Democratic Party. The political Party demonstrated this in terms of appointments in line with the federal character principle, of key appointments, which cut across ethnic, religious and geographical barrier.
“This is why most objective analysts described the PDP as a national Party in terms of spread, popular support in all geo-political zones, appointments and structures.
“The former President Dr, Goodluck Jonathan even conceded defeat to President Muhammadu Buhari even before the presidential election results were formally declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
This, it said is the climax of political maturity and the aura of good governance and political sportsmanship, which the PDP radiated in the political landscape of the nation.
The group said that the All Progressive Congress, APC does not have these liberal characteristics, stressing that within the short period it has been in office, the party has demonstrated that it is not only anti-Niger Delta but acutely anti-Ijaw in nature.
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