IYCW Debunks Claim That Jonathan Sponsors Niger Delta Avengers
Goodluck Jonathan, former President of Nigeria[/caption]
The Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide (IYCW) has debunked reports stating that former President Goodluck Jonathan is the founder of the new militant group, the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA).
Recall that a statement signed by the national President of National Coalition of Niger Delta Ex-Agitators (NCNDE-A), Israel Akpodoro, alleged that the former president is the founder and sponsor of the NDA.
But IYCW spokesman, Eric Omare, in a statement, described the reports as untrue and false.
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Omare said: “The attention of the group has been drawn to a statement issued by one Israel Akpodoro, who claimed to be the National President of National Coalition of Niger Delta Ex-Agitators alleging that former President Jonathan founded the Niger Delta Avengers.
“The initial reaction of the IYC was to ignore the said statement considering the fact that the said Akpodoro is unknown and has no pedigree in the Niger Delta region.
“However, we have consistently been inundated with calls and messages by concerned Nigerians all over the world as to the true position as far as the allegations are concern. This response is to set the records straight for the benefit of the reading public.
“The allegation that the NDA was formed by Jonathan in a meeting he attended in January 2015 preparatory to the 2015 general elections to make the country ungovernable for his successor is absolutely untrue.
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“It is nonsensical to imagine that former President Jonathan who conceded defeat and congratulated his opponent, current President Muhammadu Buhari, even before the final result was announced would make such a plan.
“In the first place, the January 2015 meeting of ex-Agitators and stakeholders in the region was not attended by Jonathan and the meeting never resolved to make Nigeria ungovernable for President Buhari.
“The IYC leadership also attended the meeting and the President of the IYC, Udengs Eradiri was one of the speakers at that meeting. The meeting was called to calm down the youths of the Niger Delta who were aggrieved with the attack on former President Jonathan in some northern states during the campaign for the 2015 Presidential elections,” the statement read.
