Niger Delta Crisis: MEND backs out of peace talks

MEND accused the Niger Delta leaders of hypocrisy, adding that they were silent under the "wasted" years of ex-president Goodluck Jonathan.

The Federal Government's peace talks with the Niger Delta stakeholders has suffered a major setback.

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has backed out of the process meant to resolve the crisis in the region

MEND announced in a statement that it has withdrawn its representatives from the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), a coalition of elders and leaders of the oil rich region.

It was on the basis of the ongoing peace talks that militants suspended the blowing up of oil facilities in the Niger Delta.

The spokesman for MEND, Jomo Gbomo, accused the Edwin Clark-led forum of hypocrisy.

This comes 48 hours after PANDEF threatened that it would pull out of the peace deal in three months if the federal government does not implement the agreements reached.

Gbomo said the leaders were silent under the "wasted" years of former president Goodluck Jonathan but "miraculously" regained their voice under the President Muhammadu Buhari adminitration.

He said, "The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) dissociates itself from the hypocritical press conference called on Monday, July 31, 2017 in Abuja by the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF).

"PANDEF, led by elder statesmen Chief Edwin Clark and His Royal Highness King Alfred Diette -Spiff, lack the moral justification in giving an ultimatum to the federal government and making demands they never made from Goodluck Jonathan when he was at the helm for six wasted years.

"Instead of listening to the so-called Niger Delta activists and the compromised Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) who have miraculously regained the voices they lost when Jonathan was president, and instead of issuing threats through fake internet-based militant groups, PANDEF ought to have used the forum and opportunity to commend the federal government for exposing the monumental looting of our commonwealth by some sons and daughters of the soil starting from the former president, his wife Patience, cousins, relatives and cronies and so many other traitors; down to the mind boggling theft by Dieziani Allison-Madueke, who empowered others while her people lived in squalor and abject poverty.

"PANDEF is also pretending not to notice that the Amnesty programme is still operating on the corrupt template that still pays ghost militants after it hoodwinked the government into believing in the fraud. A programme that has neglected the children of the dead freedom fighters and those in prison, for those that never made any sacrifice is cursed.

"In view of our irreconcilable differences, MEND hereby recalls its representatives in PANDEF for consultation with immediate effect."

ALSO READ: MEND endorses Buhari’s meeting with Niger Delta elders

Earlier, Clark had said that some Niger Delta militants have been sending him threat messages, vowing to resume attacks on crude oil pipelines in the region.

He said the militants accused him and other leaders of PANDEF of taking money from the federal government thereby stalling the peace deal.

from pulse.ng - Nigeria's entertainment & lifestyle platform online