By High Chief Alfred Obi

The ex-agitators who are clamoring for Gen. Barry Ndiomu (rtd) to be reappointed as the coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme are not sincere with themselves. Though we are aware that these self-acclaimed ex-agitators are very hungry people who by virtue of their betraying nature are ready to sell out the whole of Niger Delta and its people for a paltry pot of porridge, without thinking of tomorrow. Knowing this, it is therefore evident that they are being bankrolled. All this in a desperate bid to retain power.

Based on their publication on the 17th of October while speaking with newsmen in Yenagoa, that the scholarship scheme that has been suspended since January 2023 was due to debt and other financial commitments, simply spills out ignorance. What commitment is more important than education for the Nigerian child if not misplacement of priorities? If the scholarship was not suspended as originally told to us on the 5th of January 2023, by Gen. Ndiomu himself, why has there been no deployment of Niger Delta youths since then?

His predecessor Col. Milland Dikio (rtd) managed to return N26 billion to the federal government, while in office to prove his unwavering transparency. What is Gen. Ndiomu’s excuse for debt in education that benefits all society? We the Volunteers for Good Governance in the Niger Delta are asking for genuine reforms that has impacted Niger Deltans other than witch-hunting innocent youths who speak the truth?

If the Presidential Amnesty Programme was specifically designed for the ex-agitators who fought against the Federal Government and were granted amnesty in 2009, what then led the likes of Asari Dokubo and others to carry arms in the first place to the extent of almost declaring the republic of Niger Delta in 2004 because steps are not taken to address the region’s problem? Is the regional problem only meant to benefit the 30,000 mirage ex-agitators alone? The reason President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua decided to grant amnesty was aimed at fostering peace and unity for the purpose of sustaining development and industrialization in the region, to engage the Niger Delta youths in productive investment, to make the region peaceful enough to encourage tourism and more importantly work towards eliminating youth restiveness, destruction of properties and discouraging unwarranted kidnappings.

For these glittering reasons, it is ideal to know that a 30-year-old Niger Delta man in 2023 was a 14-year-old teenager in 2009, and as such if he was not privileged to drop arms then, do you now encourage him to pick up weapons and endanger the Nigerian society because only you are entitled to benefit alone? The likes of these self-acclaimed ex-agitators are the reason why the Niger Delta remains backward and impoverished despite the huge financial resources poured into the region by the federal government of Nigeria.

It is also ideal to note that the Presidential Amnesty Programme under Gen. Barry Ndiomu (rtd) does not have the right to eliminate or suspend the scholarship of any Niger Delta youth who chose to embrace the pen over the gun. Any disciplinary act is subjected to the decisions of the institution and not the office of the Presidential Amnesty Programme that is designed to continuously foster peace through dialogue, therefore the actions of Gen. Barry Ndiomu to eliminate scholarships of young sons and daughters of the region is wrong and should be frowned upon by anyone who has a conscience.

He is destroying the future of young Niger Delta youths by truncating their education, and other threatening moves destroy the prospects of great minds emanating from our region. Such a man who chose to stay on, despite his elapsed tenure shows he is desperate and the President should be very careful not to hurt the feelings of the Niger Delta people by reappointing such a man.

High Chief Obi a.k.a Galaba, Coordinator of Volunteer for Good Governance in Niger Delta