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Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Five House of Representatives members from Bayelsa State have identified the vacuum in the head of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) as the cause of incessant cases of civil disobedience and blockages of the East West Road by protesting former militants.
The members, including Preye Oseke (Southern Ijaw), Israel Sunny-Goli (Nembe/Brass), Steve Azaiki (Yenagoa/Kolokuma/Opokuma), Fred Azibaupu Obua (Ogbia) and Agbedi Yeitiemone Fred (Ekeremor/Sagbama), said aside from the civil disobedience by the ex-agitators, the absence of a substantive coordinator for the amnesty programme makes it difficult for the programme to be properly managed, meaningfully, transparently and brought to a logical end.
The lawmakers urged the Federal Government to should appoint a replacement for the suspended Quaker Dokubo like it did anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crime Commission when Ibrahim Magu was suspended.
Oseke, who moved a motion on the floor of the House on behalf of the Bayelsa caucus, condemned the alleged double standard being used in the case of PAP.
He called on the leadership of the House Committee on National Security to interface with relevant agencies of government in ensuring that a substantive coordinator for PAP for the region is urgently appointed, “to douse the rising tension in the region”
He also expressed concern over the noticeable adoption of unlawful means of agitation for the development of the region, including subtle militancy.
