Despite the criticisms trailing its endorsement of the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Maj. Gen Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), for the February 2015 election, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta has insisted that it will support the APC flag bearer.
MEND had on Wednesday declared that it would support Buhari for presidential poll, alleging that President Goodluck Jonathan had not lived up to the expectation of Nigerians, a position that did not go down well with the Peoples Democratic Party and the Ijaw Youth Council.
The PDP, through its National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, queried APC’s link with MEND, the IYC, through its Publicity Secretary, Eric Omare, reportedly described MEND as a ghost.
But MEND, in a statement by its spokesperson, Jomo Gbomo, on Thursday via e-mail, described Metuh’s position on its (MEND) support for Buhari as callous and irresponsible.
The Niger Delta militant group explained that the reaction of the PDP further confirmed its (MEND) views about Jonathan’s inept government.
MEND’s statement read, “The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta views the recent question and statement credited to the Peoples Democratic Party’s National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, as very callous and irresponsible.
“The question: ‘Explain your connections with MEND’, further confirms and vindicates our views about Goodluck Jonathan, his inept government and the PDP.”
MEND, however, pointed out that its endorsement of Buhari did not mean that it had any link with the APC, adding that contrary to Metuh’s view, it (MEND) had never been approached by the party.
It described Buhari as the man that would lead Nigeria out of its state of calamity in the hand of the current leadership.
It added, “MEND strongly denies any link with the All Progressives Congress and has never been approached for anything, at any point in time, by the party, as pettily alleged by Olisa Metuh.
“The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta stands strongly by our endorsement and full support of General Muhammadu Buhari as the man to lead the country out of its present calamitous state in the hands of Goodluck Jonathan.
“MEND finds it laughable the recent statement by Mr Eric Omare, the Publicity Secretary of a mere tribal assembly and political praise singers, known as the Ijaw Youth Council, stating that ‘MEND is a ghost’. We clearly understand their frustration at our stance as it obviously came as a shock to them.
“Nigerians should ask this man (Eric Omare) if he was referring to ‘ghosts’ when he lauded MEND for declaring a temporary ceasefire six months ago.”
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