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.
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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
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HOW ATIKU MADE NIGERIANS JOBLESS
A. NigerDock is the largest ship fabrication yard in West Africa sub region. When it was sold, its Ex-MD Engr. Nkpubre Okon, openly stated how “Mr Job Creator” ignored the Transport Ministry then to Open bid for NigerDock.
Atiku’s preferred bidder, ‘Global Energy’ that agreed to increase NigerDock’s workforce from 4,800 to 6,000 as part of privatization agreement dismissed 2,200 immediately it took ownership. Jagal Group that took over after Global Energy lost out on power play also sacked 1,400.
B. Nigeria Port Authority reform was purely contrived to grab landed properties. 10,000 workers were sacked & 133 bids opened for NPA properties consisting of 68 properties in Apapa, 28 houses in Ikoyi. The highest reserves bid was for a property in Ikoyi fixed at N390.4 Million.
C. NIGERIA RAILWAY
Did Atiku forget how 7000 railway workers were sacked in 2005 without compensation to reduce its workforce to 6,300? Another 1,260 were fired in 2006. When ATIKU and his Headmaster were leaving in 2007, they left ~N5 Billion in unpaid Railway pension arrears.
D. FEDERAL SECRETARIAT IKOYI
In 2006, Babalakin’s Resort Ltd acquired this 15 storeys prime asset overgrown with weeds from atiku and OBJ through a Development Lease Agreement (DLA) for N7.2Billion. A Court has asked Buhari to pay N54 Billion to Babalakin for that blunder.
The DLA, dated October 10, 2006, granted Babalakin Resort Ltd a 99-years lease to redevelop the Federal Secretariat complex, that OBJ & ATIKU had abandoned for 7 years into 480 luxury apartments. This was at the eve of their departure from government. The transaction was one for the road.
The DLA hit the rocks when Lagos State Govt in the interest of the public indicated willingness in acquiring the Federal Secretariat complex. LASG insisted it should be accorded right of first refusal since LASG is the Issuing Authority of the C of O, coupled with other reasons.
Finally, lets compare OBJ & Atiku’s first 3yrs in power to the first 3yrs of PMB that hasn’t retrenched one civil servant, but has bailed out states on salaries. Lets not forget Atiku was in charge of the economy and OBJ gave him free hand until Galaxy Backbone scandal happened.
In 2002, first 3yrs of the Obasanjo/Atiku, manufacturing accounts for 6% of GDP. Nigeria’s GDP fell by half for d first time in 20yrs. This was d year all textile factories in Nigeria closed down and unemployment was 28% within d formal sector alone; I repeat, alone!!
In 2002, UN estimated that 70% of Nigerians live below poverty line compared to 48.5% in 1998 under a military rule. Life expectancy fell from 54yrs to 51yrs. Two-fifth of every child below age 5 were malnourished and only 50% of the 128Million Nigerians have access to clean water.
copied:-
FACTUAL REPORT ON HOW ATIKU SUPERVISED THE SALES OF OVER 145 FG INVESTMENTS AS A VICE PRESIDENT !!!
Please any or all ATIKU supporters or his campaign structure are free to deny these submission with facts not sentiments.
“As Head of National Council on Privatization (NCP), from 1999, atiku dug Nigeria’s economic grave for today’s extreme poverty and unemployment.
There were over 600 federal assets when Atiku’s NCP started selling.
Atiku should tell us who bought what and what was left for the country when he left power.
To who did Atiku sell the following companies:
Nafcon
Eleme Petrochemical
Daily Times
Ughelli Power
Egbin Power
NICON Insurance
ALSCON
Transcorp Hilton Hotel
NICON Luxury Hotel
Sunti Sugar Ltd
NetCom House
Bacita Sugar Ltd
MM2
In 2007, Onigbolo Cement operating at 500,000 tonnes per annum was sold to Dangote at N1.7Bn ?
To those selling Atiku, let me remind you of Senate public hearing of August, 2011 which succinctly captures how Atiku through retinue of cohorts, fronts, shell companies, ring fenced over 70% of FG’s assets through a brazen daylight robbery privatization that he supervised.
This is nothing sensational. Its real life facts and all the Senators are alive today.
The 2011 privatization Senate committee was made up of Senator Ahmed Lawan – Chairman, Senators Babafemi Ojudu, Philip Aduda, Mohammed Ndume, Ifeanyi Okowa, Hope Uzodinma and Mohammadu Magoro.
Lets look at Aluminium Smelting Company, ALSCON, that Atiku privatized.
ALSCON which Nigeria built with $3.2 billion, was sold to a Russian firm, Russal, for $130million. As of the time of sale, ALSCON had received $120million for the dredging of Imo River, but was never done.
When the Senate Seating of August, 2011 asked the Russian company the whereabouts of the $120million dredging money, the company’s Deputy Managing Director, Vitaly Kuzrestov, said that the money has been used for Environment Impact Assessment.”
FG’s Five percent share in Eleme Petrochemical worth USD27 million was never presented at the National Council on Privatization before t’was sold to Indorama.
Indorama recovered this amount selling Polyethylene and Urea to the entire west Africa sub-region in just 14 months.
The Atikulate Business Theory: Sell to yourself Government assets that leaves millions in penury, to set up personal businesses that provides for a few. Atiku didn’t employ the few hundreds he employed because he likes them, he needs them to work to preserve what he took from Government
A man who supervised sales of over 145 federal investments as a vice president, without a thought for today wants to be president.
He didnt revitalize them.
He didnt resuscitate them.
He sold them to whomever agrees to his personal terms