Militants back Emefiele, vow to stop illegal bunkering, surrender arms if elected president

A militant group, Niger Delta Freedom Reserve Force, has declared support for the presidential bid of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, under the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In a short video posted on Facebook, the group said it settled for Mr Emefiele after carefully checking the backgrounds of the other aspirants in the race.

The group, which named General Jack Fineboy as its leader, said Mr Emefiele is not a politician but a gentleman that will keep his words.

The group posted the video the same day (Friday) an online newspaper; primebusiness.africa, reported that Mr Emefiele had picked the APC presidential nomination form.

The newspaper said the Finance Department of the ruling party confirmed that the form was released to the CBN boss on Friday.

But the CBN governor denied this, saying he was still awaiting “God’s divine intervention” before deciding on the calls for him to run.

His statement came after months of speculations and denials about his interest in the nation’s top office.

The CBN had earlier dissociated itself from reports that Mr Emefiele contemplated resigning his position to join the 2023 presidential race.

CBN spokesperson, Osita Nwasinobi, told Leadership newspaper that the report was a distraction from the CBN’s focus on its mandate of minding monetary policies, financial stability and supporting government programmes.

Several organisations, including this newspaper, had called for the resignation of Mr Emefiele after his presidential campaign posters appeared.

PREMIUM TIMES in its February 21 editorial called on Mr Emefiele to speak up about his presidential ambition or resign from office due to his failure to publicly repudiate any association with the groups clamouring for him to run for president.

The militants, five in number, appeared with their faces covered with white cloths and holding the posters of Mr Emefiele in their left hands and guns in their right hands in the video which seems to have been shot in the creeks.

They vowed to surrender arms and help the authorities stop kidnapping and illegal oil bunkering in the Niger Delta region if Mr Emefiele is elected president of Nigeria.

The militants said their decision to support the Central Bank Governor followed a week of tours and consultations in the creeks of the region.

“After a week tour in the creeks in the Niger Delta and after due consultations and meetings, we the Niger Delta Freedom Reserve Force, which is the only standing force for the region, wish to make the following points clear:

“Firstly, we must state clearly that we are not a force against the federal government or we are a separatist movement. We are agitating for a better life and inclusion from the government. We have made up our minds to join the politicking process and we are tired of recycling politicians in the system.

“We took this decision because he has used his office to create programmes to eradicate poverty and so many other programmes also in agriculture. We believe that if he’s given the opportunity, he will bring meaningful development and help the economy get back on its feet.

“We are willing to surrender our arms in solidarity on the confirmation of Emefiele as the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress. We’ll in turn protect pipelines and contribute to stopping kidnapping and illegal bunkering in the region.

“Finally, we appeal to those with the title of party delegates for the forthcoming presidential primaries, when you come to Abuja as you are receiving your dollars, check your conscience and vote for Godwin Emefiele who we strongly believe can solve the problems of this country and the Niger Delta.”

Osita Nwanisobi, the spokesperson for Mr Emefiele, did not respond to requests for comments when contacted.

Last month, a similar group from the Niger Delta creeks posted a short video declaring support for the presidential bid of the APC national leader, Bola Tinubu. They were all masked and armed with guns in two speed boats.

The militants in that video said: “In 2023, we the Niger Deltans, the ex-agitators down from Akwa Ibom, Rivers State, Cross River down to Bayelsa to Delta, Ondo and Edo State. The person that we want to work for and deliver for the coastal line is Ahmed Tinibu. If Asiwaju leads, we follow.”

Tosin Adeyanju, head media and publicity, Tinubu Support Group, on April 30, who described the militants as economic saboteurs, dissociated Mr Tinibu from their activities.

Mr Adeyanju, made the repudiation in a statement posted on Facebook.

It is not unclear if Mr Emefiele will also repudiate the group that has declared support for his presidential bid.