Well defend Jonathans mandate with our blood -Ex-militants

EX-MILITANTS from the Niger Delta have vowed to defend the mandate given to President Goodluck Jonathan with the last drop of their blood.In a communiqué released after a meeting on Monday, the ex-militants, who were reacting to the spate of riots in parts of the North, to protest the victory of PresidentJonathan at the presidential election on Saturday, also called on all Southerners to return home for consultation.They said they would not immediately take a retaliatory action because of what happened in the North, as they saw the rioting as a bait from troublemakers to escalate the crisis.The communique, which did not state the venue of the meeting, read in part: We, the leaders,former generals and commanders of defunct combatant camps and groups in the Niger Delta met today, MondayApril 18, 2011 where we extensively deliberated on crucial national issues, especially the outcome of the presidential elections held last weekend.The former militants congratulated the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Atahiru Jega, for successfully conducting what had gone down in history as the fairest and freest presidential election in Nigeria. They also congratulated President Jonathan for being the first sitting president of Nigeria to have conducted a free, fair and credible election, even while he stood the risk of losing at the polls and for being declared winner in the election.The ex-militants urged those who lost at the polls to accept the results which, they said, were the verdicts of the people of the country.The release condemned in strong terms, the post-election violence being perpetrated and sponsored in parts of the North by some politicians, adding that they were uncalled for.They restated their commitment to the mandate of President Jonathan, adding that they would join other Nigerians to defend the mandate with the last drop of their blood.
Click here to read full news..