Explain Your Connections With MEND, PDP Tells APC

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has challenged the All Progressives Congress (APC) to come out clean and explain to Nigerians, its connections with the militant group, Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND).

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, in a statement on Wednesday said while the onus lies on the APC to choose those to work with in their quest for power, “the explanation has become necessary following the unsavory public reactions and concerns trailing the statement by MEND backing their Presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari."

MEND had publicly declared its support for the APC presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, saying supporting the incumbent president Goodluck Jonathan, in the first instance, was the greatest mistake Niger Deltans ever made.

Metuh continued: “What exactly does APC have in common with MEND? Why do they want to resurrect it? Nigerians want to know. Are we also expecting a similar statement from insurgents in the north, who initially named General Buhari to lead the dialogue between them and the Federal Government?

Reacting to MEND's endorsement of Buhari, another Ijaw group, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) had carpeted MEND saying it was a 'ghost' organization as the original MEND no longer existed since Yar'Adua's administration offer of amnesty to Niger Delta militants.

Till date MEND has not officially accepted the amnesty offer.

The PDP scribe said“Nigerians are indeed worried by these developments. We therefore urge the APC to come out clean and explain to the citizens what they have in common with these groups, especially given the statement by their flag bearer, after the 2011 elections, that the ‘dogs and baboons will all be soaked in blood”.

However, in a swift reaction, MEND through its spokesman, Jomo Gbomo has called the bluff of both the IYC and the PDP saying it made no mistake declaring support for Buhari.