Ex-agitators, Ijaw group disagree over reappointment of Amnesty boss

Odahiekwu Ogunde, Yenagoa
Ex-agitators, under the Presidential Amnesty Programme (Second Phase), and an Ijaw group, the Watchdog for Progressive Ijaw (WPI), have clashed over the campaign to kick out the Interim Coordinator of PAP, Col. Milland Dikio (rtd.).
Just as the estimated 6,166 ex-agitators under the PAP Phase II vowed to ensure that Dikio is not reappointed by the Federal Government, the WPI said such call stood logic in the head, noting that Dikio’s reappointment or confirmation is well deserved given his track records of achievements.
The Chairman, Second Phase Coalition of Niger Delta Ex-militants under PAP, Comrade John Esuku, threatened in a statement yesterday that if Dikio were re-appointed to pilot the affairs of the PAP more ex-militants would return to the creeks and disrupt crude oil production activities to earn a livelihood.
Esuku, who claimed that the Amnesty Office under Dikio was owing them monthly stipends for over one year, alleged that the antecedents of the PAP’s boss showed that he did not have good plan for the Presidency as the 2023 general elections beckon.
The ex-militant leader said: “We advise Mr. President to have a re-think (if any) and stop the reappointment of Col. Milland Dikio (rtd.) as his second time as Interim Administrator has shown traits of incompetence, bias, dishonesty and myopism in piloting the affairs of the programme.
“Should this request not be effected or cogent steps taken immediately to reverse those steps complained about by the Phase II ex-militants within fourteen (14) days from the date of service of this letter, we shall be left with no other alternative but to proceed to take proactive measures that will be inimical to the peace and tranquillity of the programme.”
He said the group had written many letters and made several complaints against Dikio to the relevant authorities concerning their plight but nothing had been done.
Esuku claimed: “Since the inception of Dikio’s administration he had never called any meeting with us to know the issues bedevilling the programme and the development had led to incessant vandalism of oil and gas facilities in the region.”
But the Watchdog for Progressive Ijaw (WPI) in a statement yesterday by the Coordinator, Mr. Lambart Olambo, said their investigations revealed that the motive behind the sinister campaign, bankrolled against the general interests of the Niger Delta, was to deny Dikio his well-deserved reappointment or confirmation as the substantive coordinator of the programme.
The statement said some politicians, who were desperately trying to covet the amnesty office and use resources meant for ex-agitators to fund their personal political ambitions were bankrolling their attack dogs to make spurious, baseless and unfounded claims against Dikio.
Olambo said already one self-styled Chairman of Second Phase ex-agitators, John Esuku, had allegedly been recruited by his paymasters to drive the Dikio-must-go campaign.
He said Esuku had in two statements he released to the public churned out outright blackmails, defamatory statements, unfounded claims, unsubstantiated allegations against Dikio.
He described as laughable attempts by Esuku to blame illegal bunkering and pipeline vandalism in the region on Dikio, saying such claim was unintelligent and childish.
Olambo said: “We are aware of the fruitless sessions Esuku had with his paymasters on the theme of their evil campaign and how to twist the narratives to get Dikio out of office and return a programme that had made substantial progress under Dikio to the dark days of backwardness.
“Having found Dikio spotless, accountable and transparent in all his dealings especially in the management of PAP funds, they resorted to flying a lame kite that he was the reason behind the increase in oil theft in the region for not paying some ghost names their amnesty stipends.”
Olambo challenged Esuku to published names of ex-agitators he claimed were not paid their stipends and were forced by the development to engage in illegal oil bunkering and other forms of oil theft for survival.