AN ex-militant leader, Eshanekpe Israel, a.k.a Akpodoro, has said President Muhammadu Buhari has abandoned his group, National Coalition of Niger Delta Ex-Agitators, (NCNDE-A).
NCNDE-A supported the President and his ruling All Progressives Party (APC) in 2015.
Akpodoro, the group’s national president, in a statement in Abuja after an emergency meeting, noted that the President has shown little regard for the group since he came to power.
According to the ex-militant leader, most of those who worked for his election in 2015 have nothing to show for their loyalty all these years.
He, however, said although he had no regret supporting Buhari in 2015, his group was considering taking its loyalty elsewhere where its labour will be rewarded.
The Urhobo-born ex-militant, who is the national coordinator of the Urhobo Youth Forum for Change (UYFC), said he led notable ex-militants to back Buhari in 2014 because of the conviction of his capacity to turn the nation’s dreary fortunes around.
Akpodoro, however, regretted that over three years down the line, the economy is still in stitches, with the people worse off.
He explained that at the time they were backing APC, it was a suicidal and a foolhardy venture, but thank God he and his members survived the risks.
The ex-agitator said his coalition lost many members to the brutality of the government they sought to unseat.
“While some of my members were killed, maimed, hounded into prisons without any charge brought against them, attempts were made on my life and those of my close allies severally but we have nothing to show for those efforts today from a government we worked for.”
The 42-year-old claimed to have impeded a meeting midway where ex-militants were being instructed to return to the creeks by senior officials of the former administration to thwart the 2015 elections to prevent the election of the candidate of APC as president.
“I escaped being lynched at the gathering because it happened at a time the nation was tensed up and saw it’s defeat looming.”
Akpodoro noted, however, that when after becoming the President, Buhari jilted those who worked for him, adding some to the other side of the struggle got appointments.
“To my consternation, the APC-led administration gave appointments to those who fought against us in the political ring leaving us in despondency and in a state of mockery.”
He said even at that “we remained loyal and became the gadfly to the administration to the extent that we fended off attacks on the nation on several occasions.”
“My group gathered intelligence in the creeks for the security apparatus and this helped to stabilise Niger Delta.
‘’…security agencies used us like canon fodders to annihilate the Niger Delta Avengers, (NDA), with failed promises to reward our loyalty.”
Akpodoro said he served the administration more than anyone from Niger Delta but had suffered more deprivation and neglect.
He called on the President to correct these wrongs, adding that loyalty must be rewarded “because it’s hard to find. I met him General Buhari in Kaduna in 2013 and after our discussion, I promised him my support and undiluted loyalty but today he has jilted me.” Akpodoro lamented.
