THE seeming desperate presidential ambition of President
Goodluck Jonathan, in the coming 2011 elections, has sharply
divided the Niger Delta, a volatile oil and gas region that was a hot
bed of low intensity war since 2006.

Insurgent groups and Ijaw leaders who are pushing for their
kinsman, Jonathan, to continue in office, are increasingly becoming
intolerant to opposing views and campaigns in the oil and gas
region.

Already, the Joint Revolutionary Council (JRC), an insurgent
network, appears to have taken their pro-Jonathan stance to the
extreme by declaring Chief Raymond Dokpesi, the Director-General
of the Ibrahim Babangida Campaign Organisation, and promoter of
Daar Communications, owners of a vast television and radio
network, a persona non grata in the Niger Delta.

But, in a swift reaction, the Niger Delta Patriotic Front (NDPF), a
radical political group, has warned that they will resort to any
means necessary to resist what they are seeing as ''creeping
farcism'' in the oil region.

Spokesperson for the group, Mr. Ben Didi, told AkanimoReports on
telephone on Thursday, ''the Niger Delta is not an exclusive region
of President Jonathan. The action of the JRC is condemnable and
speaks volume about the seeming desperation in the Jonathan
camp''.

Continuing, he said, ''if all geo-political zones in Nigeria are to
adopt that retrogressive position, Jonathan will go down in history
as a president who presided over the liquidation of the country. We
will resist such a political development by any means necessary''.

The JRC which comprises of alliance units of the Movement for the
Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), active combat units of the
Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force (NDPVF) and the Martyrs
Brigade, in an on-line statement to AkanimoReports by their
Spokesperson, Cynthia Whyte, on Thursday said, ''we hereby
declare Chief Raymond Aliero Dokpesi persona non grata in the
Niger Delta''.

According to them, ''Dokpesi is a blackleg in the struggle for the
liberation of the Niger Delta region and the South South zone of the
Nigerian State. Any Niger Deltan who will or can trade the destiny of
tens of millions of Niger Delta for filthy lucre is not worthy of
existence. Should not even live amongst us''.

They are demanding that all Southern and Niger Delta interests
should immediately cease every relationship with Raymond Dokpesi
and all of his business interests.

Adding, the insurgents said, ''government institutions and
parastatals, youth groups and all others are hereby warned from
participating in programmes runs by Raymond Dokpesi and his
interests such as Raypower radio, AIT Television etc. Any Niger
Delta interest that henceforth participates in AIT programmes such
as Kaakaki etc or advertises on AIT will be summarily punished''.

''In the next few weeks'', they went on, ''we will begin our course.
Any advertisement by any Niger Delta based groups or interests on
AIT will be cursed, condemned and punished. However, let us
commend all those who have chosen to remain resolute and fight
the Jonathan cause even in the face of grim persecution and great
financial and social temptations''.

The group however, commended the likes of Chief Dumo Lulu
Briggs, Professor Kimse Okoko, Chief Edwin Clark and all the
governors of the various ''Bantustan states across the Nigerian
State even though we are aware that certain governors in the Niger
Delta secretly do not wish Jonathan well. Their time will come''.
ENDS


http://www.africanexaminer.com/dokpesi

Insurgent groups and Ijaw leaders who are pushing for their
kinsman, Jonathan, to continue in office, are increasingly becoming
intolerant to opposing views and campaigns in the oil and gas
region.

why does this sound familiar ? someone pls insert " ibb people foolish people "

We have to be careful in this country. Now it is very cool to violently disrupt the activities of those who campaign for IBB. I also hear that MEND have declared Raymond Dokpessi persona non-grata in the Niger-Delta.

Folks must remember that nobody has monopoly of violence. What if Boko Haram decide to terrorise all supporters on Jonathan or any Southerner in the North?? We will simply have catalysis in our hands.

The Jonathan Presidency and Campaign should rise to the occassion and condemn this kind of behaviour.

The best way to stop any candidate is to vote against them. Bullying people who vote or support certain candidates is TERRORISM.

mikeansy:

We have to be careful in this country. Now it is very cool to violently disrupt the activities of those who campaign for IBB. I also hear that MEND have declared Raymond Dokpessi persona non-grata in the Niger-Delta.

Folks must remember that nobody has monopoly of violence. What if Boko Haram decide to terrorise all supporters on Jonathan or any Southerner in the North?? We will simply have catalysis in our hands.

The Jonathan Presidency and Campaign should rise to the occassion and condemn this kind of behaviour.

The best way to stop any candidate is to vote against them. Bullying people who vote or support certain candidates is TERRORISM.

I have always loved the way u think and reason.
You are right on point.