MEND endorses Buhari, says ‘he is the man’

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has pitched its tent with Muhammadu Buhari, presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), for the forthcoming presidential election.

The group said the biggest mistake that the Niger Delta ever made was to support President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011.

“The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), 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,” MEND said in a statement signed by Gbomo Jomo, its spokesman.

“Our decision to throw our full support on Gen. Muhammadu Buhari stems from the pathetic state in which the country has been put by the government of Goodluck Jonathan and our strong belief 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.”

Describing the current administration as corrupt, MEND alleged that Jonathan lacks genuine concern for the masses.

“His actions, utterances and arrogance prove that he is totally disconnected with the situation facing the ordinary Nigerian and completely out of touch with reality,” the statement read.

“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.

“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 stupid he thinks Nigerians are.

“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. President Jonathan has setup countless committees but none of the reports has ever been implemented. From the Nuhu Ribadu report to the KPMG and Fuel Subsidy reports, just to mention a few.”

MEND was one the militants groups that launched a violent campaign in the Niger Delta before the administration of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua reached a truce with the groups.

However, MEND turned down the amnesty offer.

Henry Okah, a leader of the group, is currently serving a 24-year jail sentence at a South African prison.

He was alleged to have masterminded the October 1, 2010 bombing in Abuja, where 12 people lost their lives.

He maintained his innocence while the trial lasted, insisting he was being victimised for refusing to support Jonathan’s position that the attacks were executed by leaders from the north.