APC Says It Is The PDP That Is Sponsoring Niger Delta Avengers

The All Progressives Congress has accused the opposition Peoples Democratic Party of sponsoring the new militant group, the Niger Delta Avengers, to launch series of attacks against oil pipelines in the Niger Delta.

The South-South zone of the APC, in a meeting held in Benin City, Edo State, on Friday, condemned the renewed militant attacks in the region, and said the main objective of the Niger Delta Avengers was to frustrate and derail President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

“The zone is cocksure that the nefarious and ruinous activities of the ‘Avengers’ are not driven by any patriotic and altruistic impulse,” the APC said in a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting.

“We have compelling reasons to strongly assert that these activities are sponsored and instigated by the opposition PDP to derail and frustrate the APC government of President Muhammadu Buhari because of its determination to fight against corruption, stabilise and put our country on the path of sustainable development.”

The communiqué, signed by the APC National Vice-Chairman South-South, Hilliard Eta, and the Zonal Secretary, Steven Ezekwem, also rejected the inclusion of the Niger Delta region in the “imaginary State of Biafra”.

The party, which described the inclusion as “dubious”, said, “Niger Delta is not, cannot and will never be part of Biafra.”

The party commended Mr. Buhari and the APC-led national government for the courage to commence the clean-up of Ogoniland and other parts of Niger Delta.

It called on the federal government to reconstitute the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission to reflect and accommodate all the constituent states of the region, as well as carry along the party leaders from the zone in appointments into federal boards and other executive positions.