No Stopping Jonathan In 2015 – Ex-militants

Niger Delta ex-militants have insisted that no amount of bias or power play can stop President Goodluck Jonathan from returning to power in 2015. They have also resolved to launch a massive campaign against kidnapping, crude oil theft and sea piracy in the region.Rising from their meeting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital, under the aegis of the Leadership Forum for Peace in Niger Delta, the former creek warlords decried what they termed the embarrassing decision of some youths in the region to return to the inglorious path of kidnapping, crude oil theft and sea piracy, and declared that they would ensure that the crime did not continue.

National president of the Forum, General Reuben Wilson said in a media briefing in Port Harcourt yesterday that the campaign would take them to the various communities of the region, churches and indeed the creeks to discourage youths from engaging in such criminal activities.

Wilson said that a fortnight ago, some of the former leaders who commanded camps in the creeks before they surrendered their arms for the government’s amnesty were involved in securing the release of some foreigners kidnapped in Bayelsa State.

He said, “We are aware that there are still some elements in the creeks that did not accept the amnesty and may be involved in this kidnapping crime to embarrass the federal government. There may be others too who may be doing it to attract attention. But crime is crime and since it is a familiar path to us, we are not strangers to these things. We have offered to be involved so that we can call these boys to order.

“We need to do all we can to ensure that the president concentrates and delivers good governance to the people. We cannot be talking of foreign investments when there are still issues of kidnapping. We cannot talk of money for development when we are still hearing of crude oil theft and sea piracy.

“The president needs encouragement and support for him to succeed. We have already given our words that we will work towards ensuring that he returns in 2015 and this is one of the things we are going to do. Let me reinstate that nobody can stop the president from being re-elected in 2015.”

Wilson said the former freedom fighters were willing to stake their lives to return to the creeks and pull out those who were still operating from disrupting the peace of the country.

“If we need to go into the creeks to talk to whoever may be engaging in these acts of the criminality, we will. We will stake our lives and do this. Nigeria belongs to all of us,” he said.