The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has threatened to destroy the oil industry in protest against the appointment of Mr. Kingsley Kuku as Special Adviser, Niger Delta Affairs, by President Goodluck Jonathan. The group in a statement yesterday did not, however, give any reasons for its opposition to Kuku’s appointment. Kuku, who was named presidential adviser on Wednesday along with three others, replaced Mr. Timi Alaibe, who resigned his appointment to pursue his governorship ambition on the platform of the Labour Party ( LP) in Jonathan’s home state – Bayelsa. Kuku, 40 , an Ijaw from Ondo State, was a member of the Ondo State House of Assembly and until his appointment was a member of the Federal Government’s Amnesty Committee. MEND warned that its threat should not be taken lightly and urged oil workers not to be deceived by safety assurances from the government as it has demonstrated several its capability to strike anywhere at any time. According to MEND, it will attack land-based offices of oil companies, oil rigs and storage facilities. However, the Joint Task Force (JTF) on Niger Delta has expressed surprise at MEND’s new threat. Its spokesman, Col. Timothy Antigha, in a telephone interview with Sunday Sun, said the agency did not expect MEND to carry out its threat since its members have access to the President and could have taken their grievances to him. His words: “I don’t think that is the way to go. I know they are now mature and won’t go the way of violence again. They won’t follow the old order of recklessness and irresponsibility.” The statement reads: “The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) views with scum the appointment of a new presidential adviser on the Niger Delta. “The continuous deception of the Nigerian government and international communities of a promise of peace without justice in the Niger Delta is simply a ploy by Goodluck Jonathan to secure the Presidency of Nigeria and continue the plundering of the Niger

Why do they oppose this Kuku fellow?

eku_bear:

Why do they oppose this Kuku fellow?

I think Kuku is in Tompolo's camp while Henry Okah's camp has upper hand in MEND at the moment.

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-595439.0.html


“So, proper vetting was carried out on some of those who showed interest in the job but the proper thing has to be done. For instance, if the president wanted to play politics with it, he would have merely taken one of the nominees from two of the governors from the region who had the backing of a close aide.

“And from the look of things, the ex-militants themselves are very desirous of peace as they insisted on a non-partisan individual to handle the post amnesty and the lot fell on Kuku who has been involved in the entire disarmament process since 2009.

“They made their inputs to the government which were very genuine and patriotic in all aspects and they followed up to ensure that the position did not go to a politician who could be easily influenced by his sponsors. They opposed the position going to Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta but unanimously went for Ondo State where Kuku comes from, in order to distance the post-amnesty programme from politics.”

Efforts to reach Ekpomu-polo, usually referred as Tompolo, were not successful but his aide, Paul Bebenimibo spoke to Sunday Tribune.

“The matter is a very sensitive matter, so, everyone must have to do what is right for the region if we have to live in peace in the Niger Delta. Whether or not the ex-militants played a role in the appointment of Kuku is not important. What we should find out is whether he is competent to handle the issue of postamnesty without political interference from any quarters”, he said.




I guess it's not about Kuku in particular.


These people oppose the whole amnesty idea, and the whole "Niger Delta Affairs" idea.

If 2011 survives a civil war then naija is a lucky country

This article supports Abagworo's pov and expands on it:

http://tribune.com.ng/sun/index.php/news/3078-how-jonathan-shunned-ss-govs-aide-over-kuku

The Ijaw man has grown very powerful in Nigeria, in a short period of time. Quite impressive.

There is something very. . . amusing about some of these names.

"High Chief Government Ekpomupolo"

I saw that a Nigerian's first name was Heineken once and knew immediately that he was from the Niger Delta before even reading his last name.


Heineken? Ridiculous.

eku_bear:

The Ijaw man has grown very powerful in Nigeria, in a short period of time. Quite impressive.

Indeed. Such political feat is hard to replicate. They tried!!!