A group, Niger Delta Stakeholders Forum (NDSF) has urged leaders from the region to desist from what it described as ‘selfish and unpatriotic acts’ and embrace the transformational leadership of Professor Charles Dokubo in the Presidential Amnesty Office.
The group in a statement by its National Coordinator, Dr Pere Naopiri described those publishing unconfirmed figures of money allegedly stolen are only showing how shallow they are.
NDSF said award of contracts in the Amnesty office are being done in cognizance of due processes for the sustainable development of the Niger Delta.
“We are aware of the gang up by those who had previously use the Presidential Amnesty Office as their birthright of financial advantages through unethical and corrupt means. They can only exhibit what they are known best at doing but as the true stakeholders of peace and development in the Niger Delta, it is high time we confront these divisive elements of retrogression whose only commitment is the eternal perpetuation of their selfish interest and relevance at the expense of peace and development of the Niger Delta.
“The whole world should know that they are the reason the Niger Delta remain much impoverish. When Prof. Charles Dokubo was appointed on March 13, 2018, he inaugurated a committee to evaluate and recommend ways for better management of the Presidential Amnesty Programme and ever since then, he has given a face lift to the programme through sterling performances and achievements within a short period. Therefore, we do not have doubt in his ability to do better given more time and support required for such a challenging job like piloting the affairs the Niger Delta Region which involves a lot of sacrifice.
“With the mandate to retool the presidential Amnesty Programme to the height of institutional decorum and decency for better performance and with his unwavering commitment to the ideals, he obviously must have offended the ‘norm’ that was obtainable in the Presidential Amnesty Office.
“We are aware of Prof. Chares Dokubo’s strict adherence to due process and total compliance which is a huge deviation from the followings that are the usual practices; Award and payment of contracts without execution, free sponsorship of family members trips abroad at the expense of PAP, free cash gifts to fraudulent groups and individuals every month, payments of hotel bills of these individuals and their friends running into several millions of naira etc.
“This was the main reason the previous administration could not pay the monthly stipends of ex-agitators and in-training allowance of the sponsored students which Prof. Charles Dokubo is doing consistently.”
“Fallout from the discontent they have instituted the machinery for campaign of calumny, organized blackmail and falsehood at maligning the good reputation of the Special Adviser to the President On Niger Delta, Prof. Charles Dokubo and the Osapnd family.
“Their desperation did not stop at mobilizing stage managed protest but also putting pressure on other well-meaning Niger Deltans to condemn his activities but unfortunately not everyone is poor in mind as they are.
“We the good people of the Niger Delta region are aware of the leadership of Prof. Charles Dokubo’s commitment and believe in the Anti-corruption crusade of president Buhari’s led government.”
Naopiri said investigations by the group revealed that most of those blackmailing the Amnesty boss instigated and participated in the looting and vandalization of Kaiama Vocational Training Center which was billed to be commissioned same month just to blackmail him.
“Transformational leadership is a sound bite of President Mohammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade, therefore it must be supported by all for the betterment of our Nation. The relative peace in the Niger Delta and the developmental drive of his leadership earned him our vote of confidence.
“Therefore, we must all watch out for these known ‘enemies’ of progress who are trying hard to take over the leadership of the Presidential Amnesty Office through the back door,” he said.