By Chris Ochayi

ABUJA—A former governorship candidate in Bayelsa State on the platform of defunct Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, in 2011, Mr. Famous Daunemgha, has pleaded with the ex-militants in the Niger Delta to forget any plan to resume hostilities.

APC

Daunemgha, who was reacting to recent threats by the ex-agitators to return to the creeks, pleaded with them to rescind their threat, saying that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration had some positive plans and must be allowed to implement its vision to develop the Niger Delta region.

Daunemgha, who  agreed with some issues   raised by the ex-militants, especially those concerning their welfare, confirmed that there was actually disconnection between the ex-militants and the office of the Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Pogramme.

He said the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brig.-Gen. Paul Boroh (retd), was not communicating effectively with the ex-agitators, insisting that “It was such anomaly that is causing the fresh unrest in the region.”

The member of Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, who spoke to Vanguard in Abuja, said: “If you observe the current activities of the Presidential Amnesty Office, you will find out that there is a lot of gap between the management and beneficiaries.

“You will find out that there is no synergy between the Presidential Amnesty Programme and the stakeholders of the area.

“You observed that the previous managers of the amnesty programme from Timi Alaibe to Kingsley Kuku related well with the ex-agitators differently.”

Mr. Timi Alaibe had personal relationship with the young men on ground. Even Kingsley Kuku, who was also my spokesman when I was the Deputy President of Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, did very well at the Amnesty office.

“These persons had to reach the young men in the region. They could communicate with them and even if there were delays in payment of the stipends, there were proper channels of communication.  So, then there was no problem.”

The All Progressive Congress, APC, member, added  “I think the truth is that the present person at the helm of affairs, Brig. Gen. Boroh should not be there because he is retired military personnel.

“In fact,  that office has nothing to do with someone with military background or personnel. It has to do with somebody who has communication line with the young men out there and who can communicate the position of the government to them appropriately.”

Daunemgha,  on the way out however,  suggested that “They can take Brig. Gen. Boroh to the Military Pension Board, MPB,  where he is most qualified because he was a retired army general but not in amnesty.

“Amnesty office is created for ex-agitators and not military agitators. These are the things that are causing the current unrest and threat you are seeing now.

“There are a lot of anomalies there and if well investigated can be unfolded.  If you want to ensure that the region is peaceful and to increase the oil production and all the rest, Boroh needs to be replaced with somebody who can rebuild the synergy along the line.”