Abuja: An umbrella body of militants fighting for resource control in Nigerian delta has warned that if Vice President Goodluck Jonathan resigns from office it would lead to break up of the country.
The group, Joint Revolutionary Council (JRC) who described the Vice President as their "son", in a statement said, "succumbing to any pressure to resign would lead to a break up of the country."
The resignation of Jonathan may lead to grave anarchy and possible secession of the Ijaw and Niger Delta territory from the Nigerian state, it said in a statement.
"We wish to remind all men of goodwill that our decision to increase progressive engagement with the Nigerian state is much strengthened by the sincere involvement of Vice President Goodluck Jonathan," it read.
The statement signed by Cynthia Whyte, a former publicist for the popular Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) further warned that the resignation if forced upon Jonathan by the northern oligarchy would reduce their "progressive engagement with the Nigerian State”.
Nigerian President is undergoing treatment for acute pericarditis, a heart condition, in Saudi Arabia and there have been widespread rumours about him slipping into a coma or having died, a claim denied by his spokesman.
Though the Constitution allows the vice president to take over if the president dies in office but an arrangement within the ruling Peoples Democratic Party stipulates the presidential seat to the candidates from North while Jonathan is from South.
A newspaper here said that Jonathan has been made to sign an undated resignation letter which would be dated if the president dies or is found incapable of ruling the country.
"Those behind the move want to ensure that the delicate power sharing arrangement between the North and the South is preserved," the newspaper said.
But Jonathan had refuted the claims as "false and mischievous”.
"This story, we must add, is sheer mischief and dwells entirely in the imagination of its authors, their sponsors and co-travellers. This is wild and quite insulting claim requires no further elaboration," Jonathan had said.
PTI
