Raymond Dokpesi, the chairman of Daar Communications Plc and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, has distanced himself from the Niger Delta Avengers and other militant groups.
This denial followed a report by Sahara Reporters which claimed that a breakaway group from the Niger Delta Avengers, the leading militant group operating in the oil-rich region of southern Nigeria, had named Dokpesi along with former President Goodluck Jonathan, governors, former governors, and other PDP politicians as sponsors of the Avengers.
Dokpesi said in an interview with the Punch on Sunday, August 7, 2016, in Abuja that he remained committed to strengthening the unity and stability of Nigeria.
“I don’t know who is giving that report; I don’t have any idea; I have never met any Avenger in my life I have no connection, association and I don’t know who they are. I have been committed to strengthening the unity and stability of the country,” Dokpesi said.
“I don’t know anything pertaining to any Avenger, I don’t know anything about any militant group. I have no connection, no association with any militant group, either on earth or anywhere in the world,” he added.
The interview was followed up with a formal statement e-mailed to The Trent late on Sunday, August 7, 2016 signed by Alhaji Shehu Gabam, the director general of the Raymond Dokpesi Campaign Organisation. The statement equally dismissed the report of Dokpesi’s involvement with the Niger Delta Avengers and said that SaharaReporters is an irresponsible platform that spreads falsehood and conspiracy theories.
The full statement is below:
Our attention has been drawn to a report by one Cynthia Whyte of the Reformed Niger Delta Avengers published by Saharareporters.com where an allegation was made to the effect that High Chief Raymond Aleogho Dokpesi is a sponsor of the activities of the Niger Delta Avengers.
We want to observe that ordinarily, a baseless accusation by a faceless identity is hardly worthy of a response. It is however unfortunate that the editors at SaharaReporters allow their platform to be used irresponsibly to disparage innocent citizens with malicious falsehood and conspiracy theories without interrogating their sources on the authenticity of information they disseminate.
For the avoidance of doubt, let us state categorically that this is nothing but a blatant concoction of falsehood obviously laced with the political intention of throwing a spanner in the works of our nation wide campaign/consultation with PDP delegates throughout the country in our bid to contest the National Chairmanship of the PDP.
High Chief Dokpesi is a highly celebrated personality and people who know him will attest to the fact that he is not only a peace loving citizen but one who is passionate about the unity, indivisibility and oneness of our nation. Regardless of the partisan political process in the country, now clearly infested with all manner of treachery, bitterness and unwholesome acts by opposing political actors, he has always and will always be an advocate of winning all political contests fair and square.
While we do not hide the fact that we have political differences with the All Peoples Congress, APC and the Federal Government especially on it’s policies, High Chief Dokpesi is a firm advocate for advancing the cause of our democracy through a robust and vibrant opposition that will keep the Government of the day on its toes.
If Chief Dokpesi’s campaigns around all states of Nigeria to be elected national chairman of the PDP is creating nervousness and fear in any political quarters in the country, we expect such persons to address the issue squarely by campaigning harder than we have done or advancing superior reasons to ours on the issues at stake.
High Chief Raymond Dokpesi calls on all Nigerians and delegates to the PDP National Convention to ignore and disregard the claims of this so called Cynthia Whyte who for reasons best known to him/her is bent on dragging Chief Dokpesi’s name into a matter he knows nothing about. It is a baseless, spurious and unfounded allegation that aims at creating distractions to the critical political issues that currently engage his full attention.
Signed:
Alhaji Shehu Gabam
DG, Raymond Dokpesi Campaign Organisation
