Written by Obinna Akukwe
PDP Chieftains, including two governors, two presidential aspirants, two estranged parry chieftains conspired to plot Jonathan;s assassination on the eve of Christmas, 2019, and I sent two couriers to his house in Otuoke on D-Day to warn him that the night is filled with conspiracies.
The first courier transacted with the Civil Defense Officers stationed in his house, and sent the message across, while the second courier hinted the military outposts, stationed few metres from his house, towards the water front, that the night is filled with conspiracies.
Few hours after our advance warnings, the militants came in five speed boats, loaded with ten persons each, with dynamites, in an attempt to blow up Jonathan’s wall towards the waterfront, , gain entrance, kidnap or kill the former President, and blame it on Buhari and Boko Haram.
From about 2am Christmas Eve till 2.30 am the gunmen numbering about fifty, engaged the company of soldiers in continuous gunfire, explosives were used. The soldiers, usually known for their drunkenness at wee hours, were unusually alert and responded with heroic gallantry. In the process two soldiers died, and two militants were gunned down, and their corpses taken by their men.
The assassination attempt failed because the military were subtly hinted of impending attacks. Also, their agent in Bayelsa hinted them that the target may not be at home, because certain lights, usually lighted, whenever he is around, were off. Thirdly, Goodluck Jonathan’s presence on the ground was not confirmed.
The next day, by 7am, Goodluck Jonathan arrived Otuoke, distraust, disappointed, humiliated, and used a blue bullion van to cart away valuable properties from the house, and left around 9am. My couriers let Otuoke immediately after Jonathan left.
The details of the assassination attempts are with the office of The Commander-In-Chief of Nigeria’s Armed Forces. Another detail is with Sundry Diplomatic sources and Foreign Intelligence sources, who are watching with dismay, the political intrigues in Nigeria, and have continuously wondered why such a gentleman is scheduled for elimination.. If PDP encounters any problem during the Presidential polls, the West will not advance any diplomatic arm-twisting.
The team of Veteran Igbo Activists, of which I am a key actor, is in possession of the facts of the assassination attempts. Before embarking on the journey to Otuoke, we first collected letters from a former Governor and former Minister of Igbo Origin, in case Jonathan access on the D-Day becomes difficult.
The plot to kill Jonathan was subleted to militants from Delta State, and while preparing for the evil strike, we were alerted by friendly forces. The decision to keep the matter secret is due to the intelligence hints that President Buhari had already discussed the assassination attempt in details with ex-President and had ordered that security be beefed up around him.
It is very unfortunate that the same PDP chieftains who plotted to kill Jonathan,in 2019, to stop him from recontesting in 2023, are the same persons, their privies, agents, proxies, who appear on national televisions, social media and all sorts to accuse Jonathan of betrayal.
Rev Obinna Akukwe wants to warn these political hypocrites to stop harassing Jonathan in his quest to pursue political office. Murderers have no right to accuse Jonathan of betrayal.
When the plot to assassinate Jonathan failed, the second plot was to use the Supreme Court to stop David Lyon from ascending as Governor in Bayelsa State, to weaken Jonatha’s influence in the South South.. Of course we did not warn Lyon because he is not in our list of public interest personality.
Therefore, the deals that led to the ouster of David Lyon as Governor –elect of Bayelsa is not as secret as the plotters thought, but we have no interest in that matter..
I purposely chose today, the 10th of May, last day for submission of forms, to reveal these things, in consultation with relevant activist shareholders, to prove that I neither support nor reject Jonathan’s second coming.
I wrote a piece, two week ago, titled ‘Goodluck Jonathan’s Inalienable Right to Contest: Tinubu,Osinbajo Entitled to Fairness’ and stated that :
“Goodluck Jonathan has the right to contest the 2023 presidential elections if the APC gives him the chance, but let Bola Tinubu and Yemi Osinbajo be treated with equity and fairness. This is my advice to the Adamu led NWC of the party and ignoring the advice of Rev Obinna Akukwe is very injurious to anyone no matter how highly placed. The records are there.
“Let the process of selection be with equity, free and fair. Jonathan candidacy is better than the cabal’s plot to hoist Rotimi Amechi or Emefiele on the party.
I ended the piece by stating that
“I wish Goodluck to Jonathan’s aspirations. He has acted like good sportsman since his defeat in 2015. He has constructively joined the national conversation. He has sought for peace and given a new template for electoral acceptance, something alien to Nigerian culture. He moved away from the do or die politics of Olusegun Obasanjo and Winner takes all politics of Atiku Abubakar. His regime was very disastrous in terms of corruption and security; however, I believe he has learnt his lessons.”
Therefore, I advise Goodluck Jonathan to end the hide and seek game, and seek re-election if he so desires. Those who plotted his assassination in 2019, their agents, media trumpeters and allies have no moral right to accuse him of betrayal-they are simply murderers. However, if his conscience asks him to decline, let it be solely on his own volition, not due to any blackmail from any qarter
(Rev Obinna Akukwe, Cleric, Activist, is the Director General, Igbo Mandate Congress, igbomandate@yahoo.com, @igbomandate congress)
