Goodluck Jonathan rubbishes claims he is one of Niger Delta Avengers' main backers

FORMER president Dr Goodluck Jonathan has dismissed reports purporting that he is one of the main backers of militant group the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) describing such suggestions as a figment of the authors’ imagination.

 

Earlier this month, a breakaway faction of the NDA accused Dr Jonathan and Bayelsa State governor Seriake Dickson of being among the group's main backers.  Some media outlets then reported that the federal government had subsequently begun probing Dr Jonathan for the Niger Delta bombings.

 

However, Dr Jonathan's spokesman, Ikechukwu Eze, said the reports were not different from allegations made earlier by Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (Mend) which were mere fabrications. He added:  “We obviously would have ignored the allegation, having responded recently to the exact same fabrication peddled by a shady militant group, but for the new dimension of bringing in the authorities, while hiding under the often-abused journalism latitude of quoting nebulous sources.

 

“Firstly, we note that there were similarities in the two stories published the same day by the two newspapers, which are too striking to pass the test of the normal newsroom process of diligent reporting and independent investigation. We are convinced that such clear coincidences are only permissible in situations where general statements are issued, but not on matters of intelligence/security reports which do not fly into newsrooms as press releases.

 

“We are also concerned that the stories did not differ in content and substance from the trite allegations earlier made by the so called Reformed Niger Delta Avengers over the same lies of linking Jonathan to the militants. From what we know about intelligence gathering, there is no responsible government agency that would rush, as claimed in the newspaper stories, to adopt the accusations of a questionable rebellious organization as its own findings, without applying the professional processes of rigour and due diligence.”

 

According to Mr Eze, it is sad that the two publications wore the cloak of the deceit from the same misguided characters that are hell-bent on pulling down the former president, despite his clear record of diligent service to his country and long standing commitment to the good of society. He added that there is no doubt that there exist such people who may have scores to settle with the former president but are now feeling frustrated by the fact that his national and international profile has continued to rise, despite their recourse to endless muck-raking character assassination.