Niger Delta governors make shock demand to end militant threat

 – Governors representing Niger Delta states have made a shock demand

 – The majority of the politicians are demanding that corruption cases in the region should be dropped

 – They believe President Buhari’s anti-corruption drive is fueling the Niger Delta Avengers insurgency campaign

Governors of the South-South region who met with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the State House today called for the majority of corruption cases in the region to be dropped by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Sahara Reporters has reported.

The meeting was attended by the governors of Edo, Ondo, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Bayelsa and Abia states, as well as the deputy governor of Cross River state.

Our source said only the Governor of Edo state Adams Oshiomhole and the deputy Governor of Cross River opposed the others the iniative, who singled out the federal government’s anti-corruption initiative as the reason why Niger Delta Avengers are blowing up pipelines in the region.

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Speaking one after the other, the governors reportedly asked the federal government to drop charges against former militants accused of corruption.

They also want the EFCC to stop investigating the campaign fund scam which has so far revealed how former President Goodluck Jonathan shared funds meant that were meant for combating Boko Haram among his People’s Democratic Party functionaries.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Dr Ibe Kachikwu took the side of the South-South governors who want corruption charges and all forms of corruption investigations against the Niger Delta politicians discontinued.

The Governor of Delta state Patrick Okota reportedly obtained a two-week ceasefire from the Niger Delta Avengers before arriving at the meeting but did not reveal his success reportedly because the vice president was not disposed to the idea.

According to his deputy, Mr Okowa held extensive meetings with the Niger Delta Avengers, pointing out that it was evident that he and other South governors knew who the militants were.

The source further stated that if the terms pushed by the South South Governors are fully adopted by the Buhari regime, his anti-corruption fight will die prematurely in all of the South South states.

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He said that from the tone of the meeting, it was clear that the Niger Delta Avengers and their activities are being funded by politicians in the region with the objective of halting Buhari’s anti-corruption war.

A press statement issued at the end of the meeting by the vice president’s office indicated that the federal government was represented at the meeting by the Minister of Defense, Rtd. Major General Mohammed Dan Ali; Niger Delta Affairs Minister Pastor Usani Uguru Usani, and Dr Kachikwu.

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