Niger Delta Avengers endorse Atiku saying it will resume bombing campaign if Buhari rigs polls

MILITANT group the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) has endorsed former vice p[resident Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in Saturday's presidential election and warned President Muhammadu Buhari that it would resume its bombing campaign if the polls are rigged.

In two days time, Nigerians go to the polls to elect a new president in what is a tight two-horse race between incumbent President Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Alhaji Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Both candidates have stepped up the quest for endorsements over the last week, with numerous socio-cultural groups across the country coming out for either party.

Earlier today, NDA, who initiated a bombing campaign across the Niger Delta three years ago that crippled production, said it is supporting Alhaji Abubakar because of his political ideology, which is in tandem with the group's agitation for equitable and fair principles of federalism. NDA spokesperson, the self-styled Brigadier Mudoch Agbinibo, also warned that if President Buhari rigs his way back to office, it would once again cripple Nigeria’s economy.

He added: “As a warning and closing note, we want to resound it to members of the international community, multinational corporations and subsidiaries’ operatives to withdraw their workforce and services from Niger Delta within the period of this elections. We are in charge of the struggle now and our strike teams are active and gallantly waiting to receive instructions from the high command to cripple the Nigerian economy again if Buhari is rigged back to office.

“And this time, it will be a perpetual recession for Nigeria, as we shall not relent until oil stops to flow in the pipes that braces our feet in our land. We are adopting Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, as the sole candidate to be voted for by all the people of the Niger Delta as a result of his political ideology, which is in tandem with our agitation for equitable and fair principles of federalism.

“ The high command is convinced that when elected come February 16th, 2019, the government of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar will not only restructure Nigeria but will reverse the inimical ownership rights to natural resources alongside promises that falls within the basis upon which we declared Operations Red Economy against the evil government of Nigeria. We use this medium to advise Alhaji Abubakar that when elected into office, the cardinal demands of restructuring of Nigeria should kick start within six months to forestall further agitation from the Niger Delta."