Bayelsa State chapter of the Ex-agitators Forum under the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Phase 2, has advised ex-militant leaders in Delta and Edo States to apply legal means if they have genuine evidence of fraud against the Interim Administrator of PAP, Maj. Gen. Barry Ndiomu (Rtd), rather than calling for his sack.
The national spokesman of the Forum, Gen. Ibena Rufus Salvation, stated this in Yenagoa while reacting to online publications by one Gen. Israel Akpodoro and others from Isoko, Urhorbo, and Itsekiri in Delta State, where they claimed that Maj.Gen. Ndiomu allegedly hijacked N320 million and called on President Bola Tinubu to sack him.
The group said that the sponsors of the publication are privileged beneficiaries from Delta State, and that they are expected to use their experience during the arms struggle in the Niger Delta to develop their people rather than engaging in the promotion of ethnic division that is capable of sparking a fresh crisis in the region.
“We have only one warlord in Delta State who is the person of High Chief Government Oweizide Epkemupolo aka General Tonpolo. Abraham Vwaghie and Israel Akpodoro are privileged beneficiaries from the Urhorbo, Delta State, let them show us the activities that made them warlords,” he said.
Ibena commended Maj. Gen. Ndiomu for taking the bold step in paying for the candidates who recently completed their Aviation training and have also received their licenses and certifications from the Aviation sector.
He said, “We all knew where the programme was and where Maj. Gen. Tariye Barry Ndiomu Rtd, has brought it to change the narrative positively.
“This was started and conducted by the past administrators who failed to pay the aviation company since ten years ago. But Ndiomu has done it within just one year in office. These candidates can now be employed and fly any aircraft in any airline company in any country. It is commendable.
“The interim administrator, Major General Tariye Barry Ndiomu (Rtd), has always demonstrated a high sense of capacity and determination. He has the charisma, experience, knowledge, qualifications and understanding of the programme more than any of the past administrators.”
While commending President Bola Ahmad Tinubu for his policies and programs in the Niger Delta region, Ibena appealed to the President to confirm Maj. Gen. Ndiomu as Coordinator of the Niger Delta Presidential Amnesty Programme based on qualifications and track records.
He noted that the privileged beneficiaries threatening to go to the creek do not know where the creek is and have never been at the creek before, warning them to desist from any false allegations against the interim administrator.
Ibena advised them to apply legal means if any one has genuine matters with relevant and reliable evidence, adding that the President, Bola Ahmad Tinubu, does not need such baseless and unnecessary distraction from desperate politicians.
“Mr President, Bola Ahmad Tinubu, needs genuine and qualified men like Ndiomu to achieve his good plans for the Niger Delta region and Nigeria at large. Ndiomu is the only good and genuine leader that has ever happened to correct the abnormalities in the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP).
“I am calling on all privileged beneficiaries of the Niger Delta Presidential Amnesty Programme and their sponsors to stop calling and making false allegations against Ndiomu”, Ibena stated.
He advised all genuine beneficiaries to support Ndiomu as usual and stand on the already established peace in the Niger Delta region, saying that peace in Niger Delta is peace of Nigeria.