MEND Still Plans To Assassinate Me - Goodluck Jonathan, Denies Sponsoring Niger Delta Avengers

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has reacted to online media reports claiming that ‎he is a co-sponsor of militant group, Niger Delta Avengers. An alleged faction of the group had released a statement over the weekend claiming that himself and some other politicians like Rivers state governor Nyesom Wike, Senator Godswill Akpabio, Raymond Dokpesi and many others were sponsors of the group.
In a swift reaction, former President Goodluck Jonathan released a statement through his media aide Ikechukwu Eze denying the claims by the group. ‎In the state, Jonathan stated that he has always been in the pursuit of peace. He stated that another militant group, MEND which tried to assassinate him
during the 2010 Independence day celebration are still after him. The statement in part reads

“For the avoidance of doubt, we are fully convinced that such an idiotic claim is too cheap a narrative, a facile contrivance so badly concocted that any discerning mind would easily see through its disingenuous and duplicitous nature. “We are also not bothered by this baseless accusation, contented that we are not the only ones conversant with Jonathan’s widely-acknowledged sincere disposition to peace, non-violence and better human community. “We are, however, seized by the feeling of déjà vu occasioned by the resurrection of one dim character masquerading as ‘Cynthia White’, who had in the past served as the spokesperson for a notorious group that had all along shown its hand to be going after the life of Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

"Nigerians could recall that in 2007 when Jonathan emerged as the running mate to the late President Umaru Yar’Adua in the People’s Democratic Party during that year’s presidential election, this very group invaded Yenagoa with hundreds of militants in an effort to assassinate him. Jonathan was only saved then by the spirited efforts of the combined forces of determined security men, who gallantly repelled the attack. “Let us also not forget that members of this same group later invaded and bombed Jonathan’s compound in Otuoke, Bayelsa State, on a night he was scheduled to attend to an important matter in his country home. He was only saved by the grace of God, who in His infinite mercy created intervening factors that prevented Jonathan from sleeping in his country home that night. “Do we need to remind anybody that the so-called Cynthia White is the self declared spokesperson MEND, a violent and murderous underground group led by one Henry Okah, which has not hidden its intention to destroy the former President?
"The unfortunate event of 1st October 2010 in Abuja at the Eagle Square during the Independence Day celebrations for that year, being presided over by the former President, bears out this conviction.