Step Aside, N'Delta Group Tells Jonathan

Step Aside, N'Delta Group Tells Jonathan, Backs IBB

One of the radical civil society networks in the Niger Delta, Nigeria's main oil and gas region, says they are not in support of President Goodluck Jonathan, contesting in the 2011 presidential polls. They are rather spoiling for former military ruler, Ibrahim Babangidas, who dominated the country for eight years (1985-1993).

The group, Niger Delta Patriotic Front (NDPF) in a five-page communique wired to AkanimoReports on Thursday, after their August 18, 2010 meeting in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, and home state of President Jonathan, said the president should step aside and leave the stage for a credible elections in 2011.

The communique which was signed by Mr. Ben Didi, said they want President Jonathan to conduct a credible election and leave the stage for ''a credible, capable and visionary southern candidate to emerge in 2015 election''.

The Yenagoa meeting which they claimed lasted for over six hours considered the critical leadership challenging the country currently as a result of ''poor leadership vision, lack of courage, unfocused and reactive management of our God-given resources, we are of the opinion that true leadership is not driven by sentiments''.

According to the NDPF which also subscribes to insurgency as a political instrument, ''Nigeria needs a leader who has exhibited a strong vision, courage and creative strategy to produce solution to her challenges and that leader is Ibrahim Babangida. That we agree totally with IBB’s clear vision and strategic road map as presented''.

Spokesperson for the group, Mr. Didi, claimed that their meeting at the home state of President Jonathan also appraised some of the candidates who have so far shown interest to occupy the number one office in the country.

According to him, ''NDPF is fully in support of the zoning arrangement of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) whether written or verbal. This is because it is the zoning arrangement that brought President Goodluck Jonathan to power.

''All the presidential aspirants that have so far declared their intension to contest in 2011, Babangida appears to be the most credible in spite of the June 12 incident of 1993''.

NDPF says they are calling on the Nigerian people including the peoples of the oil and gas region to mobilize massively in support of the Babangida presidential project since according to them, ''we are of the view that he alone at the moment, has the solution to the Niger Delta problems. This is not an issue for sentiment''.

ENDS