Former Niger Delta militant Ebikabowei Victor Benakak aka Gen. Boyloaf has described President Jonathan as a disappointment to him and other Niger Deltans. In an interview with Premium Times, Boyloaf said Jonathan did not build any remarkable infrastructure in the Niger Delta, a region where he is from. He said he will not welcome President Jonathan to the region when he leaves office;
“To me, as a matter of fact Jonathan disappointed us. That is my own opinion. He might be good to some people. There is nothing to tell if you get to my own state. We didn’t benefit. People like us did not benefit from his government. His government focused on one side. The Bayelsans did not benefit. It is only the Arugbos – that is Ondo State and Delta State – that benefited from his government. So, someone like me will not welcome him. I will not welcome him at all. The struggle continues.” he said
PT: Do you think the South West and the Northern part of Nigeria were marginalized under the leadership of Goodluck Jonathan?
Boyloaf: Did people from the South-South benefit? If you come to Bayelsa State, can you count how many people benefited? That is the president’s state. When the APC was going for campaigns, they made a statement that there is a town that they didn’t have light, and people said Otuoke. Then (Gov. Chibuike) Amaechi said “I didn’t mention name”. But can you imagine that in that place there is no road? You see, what Jonathan did was that he favoured the North and West. Go to the Niger Delta and see. He favoured the North. He did Almajiri. Then go to the West you will see the railway, you will see all what he’s doing there. What is happening in Niger Delta? Nothing! It is better to go there and see things for yourself. Jonathan did not do anything for his people, for his region.
PT: Maybe he planned to do that in his second term in the office?
Boyloaf: I don’t believe in that. Charity begins at home. Jonathan was supposed to have started from his area because anything can happen the next day like what has happened now. So, what are you telling me? What about (late President Umaru) Yar’Adua? He did the airport in Katsina. He started from his own area. See, that is what Jonathan was supposed to do to. I have that belief right from time because they never wanted a Niger Delta person to be in government. We know that one because they will seal a lot of deals. I am a mariner. I know what is going on at the sea. For instance, like we are talking about subsidy, we know the people that do deals.
