Mixed bag of govs, ex-militant relationships
CONTRARYto the widely-held assumption that ex-militant leaders in the Niger Delta region enjoy cosy relationships with governors of their respective states, findings have revealed that there is a cold war between them and some of the governors had, in fact, taken steps to clip the wings of the former agitators.
Some of the ex-militants that want to play politics found themselves on the wrong side of the governors and the bitter confrontation is affecting development in some areas of the state.
As it is, the former agitators would prefer to deal with the Presidency than their governors, who they claim, neglected them after enticing them to drop their guns and accept amnesty.
Amaechi’s stand
In Rivers State, Governor Rotimi Amaechi sounded it clear from the beginning that he was not going to fraternize with ex-militants and had kept his word since then.
Leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force, NDPVF, Alhaji Mujahid Asari-Dokubo, who said in an interview in The Netherlands, some years ago, that he is not a militant, described the governor as a traitor.
His counterpart and leader of the Niger Delta Vigilance Movement, Ateke Tom, sometime, last year, led many protesters on the streets of Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, asking Governor Rotimi Amaechi to resign.
Some of the ex-militants from the state not sheltered in the amnesty programme, had resorted to political thuggery and were reportedly respon-sible for the increased violence, including kidnapping in the state.
Uduaghan’s wisdom
In Delta State, the general impression is that Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and founder of the defunct Movement for the Emanci-pation of the Niger Delta, MEND, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, were having a swell time.
But the Executive Secretary of Tompolo Foundation, Mr. Paul Bebenimibo, said the relationship between the duo “is that of cat and mouse.”
Dickson, no deal
Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State did not see any reason to pamper the ex-militant leaders.
One of the first things he did, when he assumed power, was to throw them out of government lodges in Yenagoa, where his predecessor, Timipre Sylva, accommodated them after they came out of the creeks.
Imoke’s oath-taking solution
Senator Liyel Imoke, the governor of Cross River State, as far back as 2009, compelled politicians in the state to take an oath, estranging them-selves from cult groups.
However, politicians, mainly those of PDP extraction, had lately hired ex-militants as thugs, leading to an upsurge in violence in the state.
Akpabio’s world
Ex-militants are not in the scheme of things in Akwa Ibom State and Governor Godswill Akpabio is not known to be fraternizing with them.
But ex-militant leader in the state, Mr. Niko Sintei, warned that the peace in the state would be truncated if Akpabio gives the governorship to a non-Oro person.
Oshiomhole’s politics of inclusion
Governor Adams Oshiomhole assimilated ex-militants into his government, but in Ovia North-East and Ovia South-West Local Government areas of the state, ex-militants do not only have a say, they often times have their way in who becomes the chairmen of the local governments.
Silent war
Investigations byNiger Delta Voiceshowed that there is undeclared hostility between most ex-militant leaders and their state governors, except for one or two governors that managed to stay above waters.
Consequently, the ex-militant leaders rooting for the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015 do not share the same feeling for their governors, most of who are, in any case, leaving office in 2015. They are also against the anointed successors of the governors.
President Jonathan, who had given the ex-militant leaders only a cursory attention all these years, is, however, under pressure by his political strategists to look their way with 2015 around the bend, as they would be useful one way or the other.
In this edition, we take a peep at the politics of ex-militants and their governors, an interchange that has implications for the states in 2015.
Some of the ex-militants that want to play politics found themselves on the wrong side of the governors and the bitter confrontation is affecting development in some areas of the state.
As it is, the former agitators would prefer to deal with the Presidency than their governors, who they claim, neglected them after enticing them to drop their guns and accept amnesty.
Amaechi’s stand
In Rivers State, Governor Rotimi Amaechi sounded it clear from the beginning that he was not going to fraternize with ex-militants and had kept his word since then.
Leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force, NDPVF, Alhaji Mujahid Asari-Dokubo, who said in an interview in The Netherlands, some years ago, that he is not a militant, described the governor as a traitor.
His counterpart and leader of the Niger Delta Vigilance Movement, Ateke Tom, sometime, last year, led many protesters on the streets of Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, asking Governor Rotimi Amaechi to resign.
Some of the ex-militants from the state not sheltered in the amnesty programme, had resorted to political thuggery and were reportedly respon-sible for the increased violence, including kidnapping in the state.
Uduaghan’s wisdom
In Delta State, the general impression is that Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and founder of the defunct Movement for the Emanci-pation of the Niger Delta, MEND, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, were having a swell time.
But the Executive Secretary of Tompolo Foundation, Mr. Paul Bebenimibo, said the relationship between the duo “is that of cat and mouse.”
Dickson, no deal
Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State did not see any reason to pamper the ex-militant leaders.
One of the first things he did, when he assumed power, was to throw them out of government lodges in Yenagoa, where his predecessor, Timipre Sylva, accommodated them after they came out of the creeks.
Imoke’s oath-taking solution
Senator Liyel Imoke, the governor of Cross River State, as far back as 2009, compelled politicians in the state to take an oath, estranging them-selves from cult groups.
However, politicians, mainly those of PDP extraction, had lately hired ex-militants as thugs, leading to an upsurge in violence in the state.
Akpabio’s world
Ex-militants are not in the scheme of things in Akwa Ibom State and Governor Godswill Akpabio is not known to be fraternizing with them.
But ex-militant leader in the state, Mr. Niko Sintei, warned that the peace in the state would be truncated if Akpabio gives the governorship to a non-Oro person.
Oshiomhole’s politics of inclusion
Governor Adams Oshiomhole assimilated ex-militants into his government, but in Ovia North-East and Ovia South-West Local Government areas of the state, ex-militants do not only have a say, they often times have their way in who becomes the chairmen of the local governments.
Silent war
Investigations byNiger Delta Voiceshowed that there is undeclared hostility between most ex-militant leaders and their state governors, except for one or two governors that managed to stay above waters.
Consequently, the ex-militant leaders rooting for the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015 do not share the same feeling for their governors, most of who are, in any case, leaving office in 2015. They are also against the anointed successors of the governors.
President Jonathan, who had given the ex-militant leaders only a cursory attention all these years, is, however, under pressure by his political strategists to look their way with 2015 around the bend, as they would be useful one way or the other.
In this edition, we take a peep at the politics of ex-militants and their governors, an interchange that has implications for the states in 2015.
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