The United Ex-Agitators of Niger Delta has strongly rejected what it described as an attempt to portray the entire Niger Delta ex-agitator community, including the 30,000 beneficiaries of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, as collectively supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s second-term bid.

The group was reacting to a statement attributed to the Convener of the Niger Delta Ex-Agitators Forum, self-styled General Emma Satu, who reportedly said the unprecedented turnout at a solidarity march in Yenagoa demonstrated the resolve of Niger Delta ex-agitators to actively participate in the campaign for President Tinubu’s second term.

While acknowledging the constitutional right of every Nigerian to support any political candidate, political party, or campaign of their choice, the United Ex-Agitators of Niger Delta said it strongly objected to any attempt to present the participation of a particular group or forum as the collective political position of the entire Niger Delta ex-agitator community or the 30,000 delegates of the Presidential Amnesty Programme.

“Who gave them the mandate to speak for all 30,000 delegates?” the group asked, describing the question as fundamental and one that must be answered.

According to the group, if a particular forum, association, or group of individuals has decided to support President Tinubu and participate in his political campaign, such a decision remains within their democratic rights.

However, it stressed that the decision cannot automatically be transformed into a declaration that all Niger Delta ex-agitators have embraced the campaign or that the 30,000 delegates have collectively endorsed President Tinubu for a second term.

“The 30,000 delegates are not a political party. They are not an electoral constituency controlled by any individual, forum, convener, coordinator, or association,” the statement said.

The group maintained that the beneficiaries are Nigerians with individual political beliefs, affiliations, preferences, and choices.

“Some may support President Tinubu. Some may support other political candidates or political parties. Some may choose to remain politically neutral. Others may simply be concerned about their welfare and the proper implementation of the Presidential Amnesty Programme. All of these positions are legitimate.”

It therefore described as misleading any attempt to use the name “Niger Delta ex-agitators” as though every former agitator had collectively taken a political position merely because some individuals attended a campaign-related event.

The group also drew a clear distinction between supporting government policies and supporting a political campaign.

“We are not against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. We are Nigerians, and we acknowledge the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” it stated.

It added that acknowledging the President, appreciating a government policy, or demanding that the Federal Government address the concerns of the Niger Delta does not mean that every beneficiary of the Presidential Amnesty Programme has automatically become a campaigner for the President.

“Government belongs to all Nigerians, regardless of their political affiliation,” the statement added.

The group emphasized that the Presidential Amnesty Programme is a government intervention programme and should not be confused with a political campaign organization or used to portray its beneficiaries as a political army for any candidate.

“If individuals voluntarily choose to campaign for President Tinubu, they are free to do so. But they must do so under their own identity or the identity of the organization that genuinely authorized them—not by claiming to have the mandate of all 30,000 ex-agitators without consultation,” it said.

The United Ex-Agitators of Niger Delta further challenged anyone claiming that the 30,000 delegates had collectively resolved to campaign for President Tinubu to produce evidence of such a mandate.

“Where was the general meeting?

“Where was the consultation with the delegates?

“Where was the resolution?

“Who authorized the representatives?

“Where is the documented mandate from the 30,000 beneficiaries?”

The group argued that in the absence of such evidence, the responsible position would be to state that a particular group of ex-agitators participated in a political campaign, rather than claiming that all Niger Delta ex-agitators had collectively endorsed the campaign.

“A crowd at a political event, regardless of how large it may be, cannot automatically speak for thousands of people who were not consulted,” it said.

The group also called for respect for the individual political rights of the 30,000 beneficiaries, insisting that they should not be treated as a single political entity whose opinions can be determined by a few individuals.

“The beneficiaries are adults and citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. They have the right to make independent political decisions,” it stated.

It warned that no beneficiary should be pressured, manipulated, or misrepresented into supporting a political candidate simply because of their membership of the Amnesty Programme.

According to the group, the Presidential Amnesty Programme was created within the context of peace, rehabilitation, reintegration, training, education, and economic empowerment, and its beneficiaries should not be politically branded merely because they belong to the programme.

“For the avoidance of doubt, our position is not an attack on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” the statement emphasized.

“We are not against the President.

“We are not against the Federal Government.

“We are not against anybody exercising his or her democratic right to support the President.

“Our objection is to political misrepresentation.”

The group said if General Emma Satu and members of his forum had decided to support the President’s campaign, they should openly state that they were doing so as a group, adding that their right to make such a decision was respected.

“But they should not extend their political choice to people who have neither authorized them nor agreed with them,” it stated.

“Your political choice is your right. It is not automatically my political choice, and it certainly cannot become the political choice of 30,000 people without their consent.”

The group equally cautioned against turning the Presidential Amnesty Programme into a political mobilization structure.

It said the programme was established to address a specific historical and security challenge in the Niger Delta, adding that its beneficiaries deserved a programme focused on their welfare, training, education, empowerment, reintegration, and other legitimate needs.

“The programme should not be reduced to political rallies, political endorsements, or campaign mobilization,” it warned.

According to the statement, collectively branding beneficiaries as supporters of a particular political candidate unfairly represents those who hold different political views.

“That is not democracy.

“That is not inclusion.

“And that is not respect for the individual rights of the 30,000 delegates.”

The United Ex-Agitators of Niger Delta therefore called on political actors, government officials, organizations, and individuals to exercise restraint when speaking on behalf of Niger Delta ex-agitators.

“Nobody should use the name of the 30,000 delegates to create the impression that the entire body has endorsed a political candidate when no such collective mandate has been obtained,” the group stated.

It said that if participants in the Yenagoa march supported President Tinubu, their choice should be respected. It similarly acknowledged their right to conduct door-to-door campaigns or promote the Renewed Hope Agenda.

“But let them do it honestly under the name of their own organization and membership,” the group said.

“They should not turn their personal or organizational political decision into the collective political position of the 30,000 delegates.”

The group maintained that the Niger Delta ex-agitator community is diverse and politically heterogeneous, stressing that no individual had been appointed the political voice of every former agitator simply because they organized a rally or spoke to journalists.

“Our position is simple and unwavering,” it declared.

“We support peace.

“We support development.

“We support programmes that genuinely improve the lives of Niger Delta people.

“We support transparency and accountability in the management of public programmes.

“We support the legitimate welfare and empowerment of the 30,000 Amnesty delegates.

“We support the constitutional right of every Nigerian to freely choose who to support politically.

“But we do not support the misrepresentation of the 30,000 delegates as a political bloc without their collective consent.”

The group urged those who wish to campaign to campaign, those who wish to support President Tinubu to support him, and those who do not want to participate in partisan politics to remain independent.

“That is democracy,” it said.

“The Niger Delta ex-agitators are not political property belonging to any individual or organization.

“The 30,000 delegates have voices of their own, and those voices must be respected.”

The statement was signed by Charles Warmate, Spokesman, United Ex-Agitators of Niger Delta.

“Nobody should speak for 30,000 people without 30,000 people's mandate.”