AGENE GODWIN, Benin
Irked by what it described as ‘a deliberate attempt by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government to rubbish the legacies of ministers who served under former President Goodluck Jonathan,’ a group, the Niger Delta Grassroots Emancipation has condemned the arraignment of Elder Godsday Orubebe by the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
The group, Monday, said the planned arraignment in court of former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Orubebe by the Code of Conduct Tribunal, shows that ‘the government’s desperation to undo all that Jonathan laboured for in the nation’s interest would fail.’
In a statement made available to newsmen in Benin City, Edo State, and signed by the President and Secretary of the group respectively, Chief Preye Freeman and Pastor Josiah Okiemutie the group said: “It is now crystal clear that Buhari’s government is only interested in persecuting patriotic Nigerians who put in their best to make Nigeria, a better country through implementing programmes and policies which have touched many lives across the country.
“The APC government is almost forgetting that it has a mandate for change rather than focusing it is busy harassing perceived opponents whereas as a party the APC was found, funded and is being operated by Nigerians who supervised the looting of the nation’s treasury while they were in power”.
“We have watched with keen interest the very lopsided anti-corruption war of PMB and want to state categorically that Niger Delta people will resist any attempt to rubbish our leaders who have contributed immensely to national stability and development of the country.
“We are saying enough of all these harassment and intimidation of our people. We call on the APC-ed government to follow due process and the constitution rather using security agents and government apparatus to hunt down Jonathan’s men”.
The group pointed out that the campaign began with ‘false allegations against some erstwhile ministers and later spurious claims of fraud by a corrupt APC governor in a south-south state followed by the raid on the Akwa Ibom State Government House, the invitation by EFCC of former governor Godswill Akpabio and today is is Orubebe,” warning; ‘all these must stop.’
