By Tunde Oso

Following the call by ex-militant leader, Eshanekpe Israel a.k.a Akpodoro for transparency and accountability in the management of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, PAP, the Interim Coordinator of the intervention agency, General Barry Ndiomu,(rtd) has allegedly in a manner akin to vindictiveness allegedly stopped the monthly allowance due to ‘General’ Akpodoro and other members of Emomomi Camp 1 of the Phase 2 Amnesty Programme.

Akpodoro, who is the leader of Emomomi Camp 1, revealed this in a telephone chat with our correspondent Tuesday, noting that, with his latest action, Ndiomu defines official recklessness and arbitrariness.

He maintained that the call for the sack of the Interim Coordinator was not misplaced, having confirmed the “opaque manner he runs the affairs of the agency.”

The mayor maintained that the Interim Administrator is acting in gross abuse of his office in a manner that depicts him being above the law.

Recall that leaders of Phase 2 Amnesty Programme, including the Mayor, had criticised the Coordinator for perceived wrong doings citing reckless abuse of powers, tribalism occasioned by selective patronage, high handedness, corruption, gross ineptitude… Ndiomu was also dragged before the National Assembly for questioning by other leaders of phase 2 who are averse to his administrative style.

Mayor Akpodoro stated that Ndiomu runs the affairs of the Amnesty Programme like a personal estate saying, stopping his monthly allowance won’t deter him from standing on the side of the truth including his call for the sack of Ndiomu who he said has divided the Amnesty Programme along ethnic lines more than any other administrator in the history of the programme and building a horde of ethnic loyalists “who he pays humongous amounts to buy their loyalty.”

According to Akpodoro, he and Ndiomu shall meet in the court of law for the Amnesty boss to show proof of his powers to stop the stipends of members of Emomomi Camp 1 who are under him.

He called on the National Securirty Adviser to the President, NSA Mallam Nuhu Ribadu to sack Ndiomu lest he plunges the fragile Niger Delta region into avoidable crisis noting that beneficiaries of the programme across divides are not happy and are aggrieved by the “shenanigans occasioned by the arrogance and rascality” of Mr Ndiomu who he accused of inciting protests among his kinsmen over the rumoured plan by the FG to appoint an Urhobo son as the Coordinator of the programme.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should act swiftly to save the programme. For the umpteenth time, I am calling for Ndiomu’s probe and subsequent sack. The FG shouldn’t hesitate to replace Ndiomu with a thorough bred Urhobo-born ex-military officer to exit the programme from the woods of gross ineptitude, tribal jingoism, ethnic hatred, selective loyalty, wanton corruption, cluelessness, ethnic supremacy, racketeering, sole administrator-ship, discrimination.

“This call becomes very necessary in view of the determination by Ndiomu to deliberately run the programme aground by weaponising tribalism and corruption against the good of beneficiaries. He has built a horde of attack dogs who have built a shield of defence around an ineptitude manager, goading him to drive the programme swerving dangerously towards the edge of the precipice. We won’t allow one tribe to lord it over others. That programme belongs to all ethnic nationalities in the Delta region, and we all have equal rights to the benefits of the programme. Ndiomu must be booted out of that office,” the Mayor of Urhoboland stated.

Additionally, Akpodoro wonders why the “reputable Nigerian Army as an institution allows one Major O.M. Akpor the latitude to usurp the position of the Amnesty Coordinator.