A group, the Watchdog for Progressive Ijaw, has said some selfish politicians were sponsoring a smear campaign against the interim administrator, Presidential Amnesty Programme, Col. Milland Dikio (retd.).
The WPI Coordinator, Mr Lambert Olambo, who said this in a statement sent to newsmen in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, described those behind the plan as enemies of the Niger Delta.
He said 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 confirmation as the substantive coordinator of the amnesty programme.
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.
The statement read in parts, “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.
“It is obvious they have nothing to use against Dikio because this claim to us is lame. We have followed Dikio since he assumed office and his management of the amnesty programme and we unequivocally state that he is the best that has managed the scheme.
“Dikio painstakingly reformed PAP and weeded out all ghost names devouring programme resources from the payroll.”
“He automated the payments of monthly stipends to ex-agitators in such a way that on the 25th of every month, their bank accounts are credited with their N65,000 monthly stipends.
“This alone eliminated tension caused in the Niger Delta by the ex-agitators past habit of blocking the East-West Road to protest their arrears of unpaid stipends.”
“Dikio, without fear or favour, reformed the contractual process of PAP, removing all portfolio contractors and ensuring that only verifiable firms and known facilities that meet PAP’s standard will train, employ, and mentor the programme’s beneficiaries.
“We urge members of the public to be wary of these characters and to disregard their unfounded allegations. Col. Dikio (retd.) will not be distracted by the antics of some wicked politicians and will never allow the programme to be dragged into partisan politics.”
