A former Security Adviser to the Bayelsa State Government, Richard Kpodo has taken a swipe at the opposition for calling on President Goodluck Jonathan to resign as a result of frequent violent attacks and recent abduction of over 200 girls in Chibok occasioned by the insurgents, Boko Haram.
In a statement issued in Yenagoa on Tuesday and titled “Enough is Enough”, Okpodo described the call as “unpatriotic and diversionary”, saying they should leave Jonathan alone to carry on with the job of governance.
The former Security Aide who served under Goodluck Jonathan administration in Bayelsa State as Senior Special Assistant on Strategy and Policy Monitoring posited that northerners should be held for the insurgency.
While admitting that the President may have made mistakes in the initial handling of the Boko Haram menace, he however contended that shifting blame is neither the way out.
Kpodo’s statement reads, “These evil critics should leave President Goodluck Jonathan alone. The Boko Haram insurgency was not created by him and he should not be blame by the weakness and helplessness of the Northern Leadership at assisting security agencies to end the ugly killings.
“The situation is redeemable if the Northern leaders rise up and work to put an end to their selfish political interest in 2015.
“President Goodluck Jonathan should remain calm and focussed at rescuing the people of the North from wicked clutches of some few weak Northern leaders.
“The Indigenes and leaders in a regional play a major role to end insurgency. When such violent struggle occurred in the South-West through OPC, the Yoruba Elders came together and ended it.
“In the South-South, resource control resulted in militancy; it was ended through positive contribution of the people. Also in the South-East, MASSOB struggle and Bakassi nearly tore that region apart but the Igbo leaders united against it. Why is the North different?
“Now it is the turn of the North-East, and the leaders have failed to seek resolution of the crises. What are their interests? Is it power? It has moved now to Boko Haram and the Northern leaders suddenly feign weakness.
“We have studied this attitude of the Northern leaders and agreed that only God can give power. And Jonathan cannot be blamed. Jonathan was elected and he should not be frustrated out of office. They should consider the people and not their selfish aim for 2015.
“As Niger Delta people, we will resist these attacks on Jonathan and continued plot to frustrate his administration. In the past, the Niger Delta people have supported a Northern President but such Presidents were removed by a Northern Military government.
“The Niger Delta and Jonathan should not be blamed for such military coups. He should be allowed to rule in the interest of the nation. If he is frustrated out, the risk will be too much for the nation to bear.”
