*Our desire is to change the tune and narratives in the Niger Delta –Dokubo
Hundreds of Ijaw youths resident in the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, on Thursday stormed the corporate head office of the Presidential Amnesty Programme on a solidarity march in support of President Muhammadu Buhari and the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, Prof. Charles Dokubo.
The placard-carrying youths led by president of the Ijaw Youth Association in Northern Nigeria, Comrade Akasah Eniyekeye Kelvin, said the solidarity march was to galvanize support for President Buhari’s re-election in the forthcoming election.
Towards this end, Akasah said the group has scheduled a Town Hall meeting for Tuesday, January 29 in Abuja to endorse President Buhari for a second term, adding that plans are also underway to hold a three-million-man march in the nation’s capital.
“We are here to tell the whole world that President Buhari and Prof. Charles Dokubo have done well. For the past nine months that Mr President appointed him, he has done enough. Since he came into office, all the moribund training centres, he has revamped them. As a matter of fact, he has done enough and he is still doing more. So, the whole world should disregard the sponsored petitions and protests against him.
We are saying they should give him enough space to work. Give him time so that everybody will benefit from him. We are queuing behind President Buhari and Prof. Dokubo because they’ve done well and will Niger Delta to the Next Level”.
Responding, Dokubo expressed appreciation to members of the group for publicly demonstrating support for him and President Buhari. He assured that the Amnesty Programme will be used under his watch to transform youths in the Niger Delta region.
“Our people have come to show Mr. President and I support which will go a long way. This office belongs to all of you and I was appointed to change the tune and narratives in the Niger Delta. This office belongs to everybody from the Niger Delta. You are supposed to benefit from it; to transform you. It is not only about paying N65, 000. It is for making you to realize that through this office, which has been supported by the President, who has given us the backing, you must work for him”.
While urging them to be united and organized, Dokubo emphasized on his determination to ensure that the Amnesty Programme is refocused to achieve its original mandate and transform its beneficiaries to become change agents.
”I will work hard for the Amnesty Programme; I will make sure that the people of Niger Delta benefit from this organization. If they do not benefit, I would have also destroyed myself. When I finish here, where I am going to? To you! At the end of my day, when I come back, I am coming back to you. I will live in your midst. If I have not done well, will I have any face to look at you?
I am really elated. For you to have come out from your tight schedules and come to this office, I am ready to give you any support. This is the support I need more than any other thing. Let my people know that they have a place here that they can call home. This is your home. This is the capital of Niger Delta. So, please, let us work together. Let us stop bringing down people. Let us work for the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari”.
