Ex-militant
leaders from Nigeria’s Niger Delta zone last weekend warned former President
Olusegun Obasanjo and the presidential candidate of the All Progressives
Congress (APC), Muhammadu Buhari, to stop instigating Nigerians against
President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration. The former militants stated that
the continued diminishment of Mr. Jonathan could cause disunity along ethnic
and religious lines.
Speaking
as members of the Leadership, Peace and Cultural Development Initiatives
(LPCDI), the ex-militant figures contended that Nigeria’s security and peace
was being threatened by the hate campaigns by various political parties ahead
of the presidential polls, adding that the frequent media attacks on President
Jonathan’s government by Mr. Obasanjo was further heating up the country.
In a
statement after the group’s meeting, its leader, Reuben Wilson, popularly known
as General Pastor Reuben, cautioned former President Obasanjo to think
carefully before issuing divisive statements against President Jonathan. “We
are advising Obasanjo to think very well before he takes any
further action. It should be known that Nigerians are watching him
closely and monitoring his utterances and actions against President Goodluck
Jonathan,” the group said.
They
continued: “Nigerians are aware that because President Goodluck Jonathan
refused to dance to his tunes as a perceived stooge, Obasanjo’s attacks [have]
become a dangerous and threatening comic relief to the unity of the country.
Obasanjo should stop instigating Nigerians against Jonathan through his
utterances. Rather he should be grateful to Goodluck Jonathan completing all
his abandoned projects, like the East-West Road.”
According
to the group, Mr. Obasanjo should give credit to Mr. Jonathan for completing
most of the projects awarded by the former president. “This should be the
gesture from a political father to his son. Why can’t he assist his son
Goodluck Jonathan to take Nigeria to the next level? Why is Obasanjo pulling
down Jonathan’s administration to cause disunity in the country? We advise him
to have a rethink before it is too late.”
The
ex-militants also warned Mr. Buhari against the use of religion and ethnicity
in the ongoing political campaigns. “We call on the APC and General Buhari to
have a rethink over the use of religion and ethnicity to campaign against
Jonathan's re-election,” the group said. They added: “Why is the APC using the
fact that Jonathan is from a smaller geographical area to oppress him? Why
can't they argue based on what Jonathan has done and what he has not?”
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