By LEKE ADESERI
A frontline Ijaw leader and National Chairman, Izon-Ebe Oil Producing Communities of Nigeria Forum, Chief Favour Izuokumor has described the Boko Haram sect as a  political manifestation of  some Northern political warlords who are not comfortable with the President Goodluck Jonathan Presidency.

He averred in this interview  that the Boko Haram viewed the Jonathan Presidency as a product of the violent agitation of the much marginalized Niger Delta region thinking that if they deployed violence, the Presidency would be an easy pick for them in 2015. Excerpts:

*Izuokumor

Comment on the Boko Haram upsurge?

As the President of Izon Ibeh Oil Producing Communities Forum and a citizen of Nigeria, the actions of the Boko Haram sect is unacceptable and I condemn it in its totality and its quite unacceptable to Nigerians.

The Boko Haram sect is a political undercurrent clothed in a religious attire even when there are some political elite with the book Haram sect who want to disguise it as a religious sect. It is a camouflage to deceive some Nigerians who have seen through their deceit and know that they are playing politics with the lives of the people they will want to govern if they achieve political ascendency.

Majority of Nigerians have come to realise that their antics and deceit that they are fighting for an Islamic Republic is false and diversionary. When I declare that Boko Haram is all about political agitation, it is not a guess work considering the proclamation made by some Northern political candidates and others during the last Presidential contest that produced President Goodluck Jonathan from the South South geopolitical zone.

After all, they made such statements as those who make peaceful change impossible would make violent change inevitable. And another Presidential candidate said that if he lost the Presidential election, he would not go to Court but would defend his mandate on the streets of Nigeria and all these spurred and ignited the violence.

So, Boko Haram is political, its masterminded by these political losers. All their plans are to frustrate the government of Jonathan on his transformation agenda.

Can the Boko Haram debacle lead to a religious war in Nigeria?

I do not believe in that. The fact is that the Christians believe in prayer and I don’t think it would degenerate into a religious war because a careful study of Nigeria showed that both Christians and Muslims are on both sides of the divide in the country. I commend the Christians especially in the South who decided not to go into reprisal attack which would have given the sponsors of the Boko Haram the opportunity they are looking for.

These politicians backing the Boko Haram are targeting 2015 for their political relevance. They want to distract President Jonathan, sponsor enough violence and create fear in the minds of Nigerians so that they can use it to negotiate to their advantage in 2015.

What about the prediction of possible disintegration of Nigeria in 2015?

The much touted prediction that Nigeria would disintegrate 2015 has not even been subjected to critical analysis by the Nigeria intelligentsia. Nobody is even asking the man that made the prediction what indices were used by him to arrive at the ominous sign. Everybody is moving about without a serious critical analysis of the prediction.

However if the northern leaders say that Boko Haram must stop, it would stop but their nonchalant attitude would continue to spur the Boko Haram to destruction and if it leads to the disintegration of the country there will be losers and winners.

What advice do you have for the Niger Delta people?

My advice is for them to continue to support the Jonathan presidency as they have played a stabilizing role for the survival of Nigeria since independence. The sacrifice will not be too much for them to bear and with God on our side, we shall overcome.