Nathan Tamarapreye, Yenagoa
The Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) has warned a syndicate of blackmailers to steer clear of its Interim Administrator, Maj-Gen Barry Ndiomu (retd).
PAP’s Media Consultant, Donu Kogbara, raised the alarm that detractors desperate to tarnish the image of Ndiomu had recruited blackmailers to carry out a campaign of calumny against the interim administrator.
Kogbara in a statement in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Sunday, said already to satisfy their paymasters, the blackmailers had churned out a series of unsubstantiated and false reports against Ndiomu to damage his image and pitch him against key stakeholders of PAP.
She said the first of their vicious attacks was recycled libelous reports claiming that Ndiomu was demanding kickbacks from a suspected dubious PAP contractor.
While describing the allegation as puerile, ridiculous and false, Kogbara insisted that there was no iota of truth in the report.
The statement said: “Our attention has been drawn to libellous reports targeting Maj.-Gen Barry Tariye Ndiomu (retd), the Interim Administrator (IA) of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP).
“Some unnamed ex-militant leaders from the nine states of the Niger Delta region reportedly accused Ndiomu of corruption in a ridiculous petition that they addressed to the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj.-Gen. Mohammed Babagana Mongonu (rtd).
“The allegations revolve around 15 companies owned by a vendor, who was awarded several contracts by a previous coordinator of the programme and is currently engaged in a performance-related legal dispute with PAP. The matter is subjudice.
“The matter was in court even before Ndiomu was appointed the interim administrator and it beats the imagination of everyone how the sponsors of these vicious reports tried to link Ndiomu, to such matter”.
Kogbara said similar reports attempting to discredit Ndiomu and distract him from focusing on his new mandate for PAP will be sponsored and bankrolled by enemies, who see the interim administrator as an obstacle to their intended corrupt engagements with PAP.
She said: “We are aware that some corrupt elements don’t want any change and transformation in PAP. They want the programme to remain business as usual and having seen that Ndiomu was appointed with high recommendations based on his track records of service and performance to bring the required transformation of PAP, they started early to discredit him.
“We are calling on members of the public to be wary of such reports and to disregard the falsehood being peddled against the interim administrator, who assumed office with uncommon determination and commitment to do the right things for PAP in line with the agenda to promote growth and development of the Niger Delta”.
Kogbara said Ndiomu’s appointment was based on his incorruptible character, integrity and discipline shaped by his military background adding that forthrightness propelled him to rise to the pinnacle of his career in the Nigerian Army.
“Ndiomu has always been a patriot and man of unimpeachable character. He will not allow himself to be distracted by disreputable elements, who are desperate to tarnish his good name because they have failed to rope him into clandestine fraudulent partnerships”.