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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 the President of the Ijaw Youth Association in Northern Nigeria, Akasah Eniyekeye Kelvin, said the solidarity march was to galvanise support for president Buhari’s re-election in the forthcoming election.
Akasah said the group has scheduled a town hall meeting for Tuesday, 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.
“President Buhari and Dokubo have done well. For the past nine months since Mr President appointed him, he has done enough. Since he came into office, he has revamped all the moribund training centers. 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 take Niger Delta to the next level.”
Responding, Dokubo thanked 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 to make you realise that this office has been supported by the president, so, you must work for him.”
While urging them to be united and organised, Dokubo emphasised on his determination to ensure that the amnesty programme is refocused to achieve its original mandate and transform its beneficiaries to become change agents.
