IS JONATHAN A MEMBER OF THE MEND?

Dear Editor,

IS JONATHAN A MEMBER OF THE MEND?

On 2nd October 2010 Jonathan said on television news that “the October 1st bombing of Abuja was carried out by terrorists and not MEND”. He queried “how could they (MEND) have done that when they have one of their own as President for Nigeria in the last four months”. Not until that 2nd October did one know that Jonathan Goodluck was (at least) a member of MEND that terrorized the entire Niger Delta for too long. Little wonder why he always had the ex-militants, who are supposed to be treated like ordinary criminals, come for meeting since they ‘voluntarily’ surrendered their part of arms and ammunition to the Amnesty Committee set up by the federal government.

Almost all the Nigerian dailies of October 6, 2010 had photographs of President Jonathan and the ex-militants in a meeting when the latter had come on solidarity visit to the former wherein they strengthened the President’s position that MEND was not part of the October 1st bombing. But the leader of the MEND, Mr. Henry Okah, who is standing trial in South Africa seems to have implicated the President when he confessed that President Jonathan, through one of his aides, had urged him to contact MEND to denounce their earlier statement that they were responsible for the bombing so as to blame it on the northerners who are pre-occupied in their bid to scuttle Jonathan’s chances in the forthcoming PDP primary. Nevertheless, the Presidency has denied ever contacting Henry Okah in that regard.

But this is not the first time the President got involved in controversies. At one time it was when the notorious native doctor, Pereowei, claimed that he is the spiritual adviser to Goodluck Jonathan. At another it was when an ex-militant, Boy Loaf, claimed that a presidential aide was in fact their sponsors and nothing has been done about this allegation that went on for so long. Now the President is allegedly involved in trying to incriminate northerners in such a heinous crime as the bombing Abuja on Nigeria’s 50th Independence anniversary.

Dr. Julius Madaki, Seriki Close, Bauchi, Bauchi State.