2019: Ex-Niger Delta militants mobilise for Atiku

Atiku Abubakar

INDICATION emerged that at the weekend that the members of the disbanded Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) in Ondo State have commenced intense mobilisation for the presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

It was gathered that the mobilisation was being championed and coordinated by a former member of MEND in the State who is likely to be named as the Niger Delta Liaison Officer at the PDP Presidential Campaign Council.

One of the leaders of the disbanded MEND who spoke on the condition of anonymity disclosed to TribuneOnline that top commanders of the defunct MEND popularly referred to as the Big five are deeply involved in the mobilisation.

He however did not confirmed if the leader of the disbanded MEND, Chief Government Ekpomupolo, known as Tompolo is part of the deal, but said Bibopere Ajube known as Shoot at Sight has been coordinating his colleagues, which included, Ateke Tom now a traditional ruler in Rivers State, Farrah Dagogo, Victor Ben(Boyloaf) and Joshua Macaiver.

A source close the PDP Presidential Campaign Council in the state disclosed to our correspondent that series of meetings had held in Warri, Port Harcourt and Abuja in respect of the need to support Atiku for the 2019 Presidential election.

He said: “We are top of the situation in the Niger Delta region because all ex-agitators from the region, especially those we call the big five are solidly behind our presidential candidate.

“Although they had their initial reservations about Atiku because of his role in the ouster of their kinsman, Goodluck Jonathan, they have finally agreed to work for Atiku after certain concessions were made in terms of their continued involvement in the surveillance of oil installations.

“You will recall that the arrangement was stopped by the current government and they are not happy with Buhari,” he said.

The development, according to the source, has led to the strained relationship between Ajube and his political ally and former governor of the state, Dr Olusegun Mimiko.

Ajube who had been in charge of the N35m monthly riverine security contract is a strong supporter of Mimiko for over eight years before the inauguration of the present administration of governor Rotimi Akeredolu.

Ajube had always been Mimiko’s joker in the riverine areas, especially Ese-Odo where he had singlehandedly funded several elections.

It will be recalled that Ajube backed and funded Mimiko’s election in 2012 and was also a strong supporter of the former governor’s preferred State Assembly candidates in 2015.

This is even as he substantially funded, the House of Representatives bye-election for Kolade Akinjo, then of Mimiko’s Labour Party against the PDP but the election was inconclusive until 2015 when Mimiko joined PDP and re-fielded Akinnjo for the same position and Ajube was said to have singularly funded the project.

Also, Ajube greatly backed and funded Eyitayo Jegede’s governorship election in both Ilaje and Ese-Odo council areas in 2016, the reason Akeredolu stopped the security job on the waterways of Ajube amid heavy lobby.

According to a reliable source, Ajube turned down the former governor’s emissaries to give support to the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) Senatorial and other candidates for 2019 election but he has expressed his desire to support Mimiko’s estranged godsons Akinjo and Nicholas Tofowomo for House of Representatives and Senate respectively.

It was gathered that Ajube influenced the resignation of his protege who was Akeredolu’s aide and his subsequent defection to the PDP