Date Published: 02/18/10

Militants dare Jonathan: Fail, don't come home

UNREPENTANT militants of the Niger Delta say they have a score to settle with Acting President Goodluck Jonathan if he fails to perform better than others before him in office.

Spokesperson of the Joint Revolutionary Council (JRC), an insurgent network, Cynthia Whyte, who spoke in an on-line interview on Thursday, argued that if the acting president fails to perform, they will not allow him to return home.

According to the JRC spokesperson, ''if he (Jonathan) does not perform, he will not be allowed to return to the Niger Delta. He knows what we are capable of''.

The armed rebels do not also want the acting president to  surround himself with ''people who cannot look him in the eye and get him to do the right thing. It would not be in his interest to surround himself with self seeking politicians''.

''He should look for bold faced and straight talking advisers; people like Professor Kimse Okoko should be quickly recruited. Secondly, he should not be in a hurry to completely overhaul the cabinet as it is basically the same government'', the insurgents said.

Continuing, they added, ''we know that (President Umaru) Yar’Adua had plans to change the cabinet. Jonathan should therefore proceed on this course in a very strategic manner''.

The truth, according to them, however, remains that change is inevitable, pointing out, we will continue to watch the emerging and evolving process.

''We have been in touch with Jonathan and he has been very willing to ensure that the right thing is done. Unfortunately, some dubious cabals in the Presidency have refused to allow him have an active hand in the way and manner in which issues of the Niger Delta are sorted out'', the JRC said.

As Nigeria's acting president, the insurgents said they are expecting him to quicken the process of pacification and speedy development of the Ijaw and Niger Delta territory.

''He was instrumental to the setting-up of the Presidential Committee on Niger Delta Peace and Conflict Resolution which was headed by Senator David Brigidi as well as the Ledum Mitee-led Niger Delta Technical Committee (NDTC).

The JRC is blaming government's inaction on these committees' reports on unnamed ''certain groups'' around Yar’ Adua. They said what they hope to see in the next few weeks ''is a speedy implementation of the recommendations of the Mitee Committee.

Already, a combat unit of the Joint Revolutionary Council has already returned to the creeks. Their ability to agitate the polity cannot be underestimated.

''Jonathan needs to inject new blood and fresh ideas to enable him work efficiently. Dead woods, sycophants and greed infested elements should be removed from the system.

Officers like the Energy Minister should be given the boot'', they said.