An ex-agitator under the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Comrade Tonye Bobo, has described the call by a contractor who goes by the name Mr Andrew Pinneh, to investigate the Interim Administrator, Major General Barry Tariye Ndiomu, over allegations of corruption and embezzlement as a ploy to divert attention from the ongoing reforms in the programme.
Bobo who is also the Director of Mobilization of the Presidential Amnesty Strategic Communication Committee (STRACOM), made this known in a statement on Saturday.
He said, “In contrast to what Mr Andrew Pinneh can throw up against Ndiomu, the Interim Administrator is a man of high integrity that had served the Nigerian Army without blemish in different capacities, therefore, cannot condescend low to any integrity test.”
He averred that Ndiomu was appointed to head the Amnesty office to reposition the programme for the benefit of all and the region.
Bobo, who pointed out that Ndiomu has embarked on series of planning and engagements, appealed to concerned individuals and stakeholders to allow him to tackle the challenges confronting the programme.
He noted that Pinneh has failed to come up with any substantive proof to show cause as a former contractor of PAP.
The Ex-agitator challenged Pinneh to come up with a list of ex-agitators purportedly trained by him or his company, stressed that Ndiomu is not and never interested in kickbacks from contractors and equally forbids officials from the office to indulge same.
“Since Mr. Pinneh is talking about integrity, let him come up with the list of delegates he trained. However, he fails to see the irony of his demands, but to him, this is just a game. Therefore, he is feigning integrity to the embarrassment of his own embodiment of shadiness.
“He should stop the pull-him-down syndrome that has characterized our daily living in the region, because Ndiomu cannot be moved by their antics,” he said.
He urged Pinneh to desist from alleged fraudulent acts geared towards defrauding the amnesty office, through blackmail and frivolous allegations.
Bobo further noted that since assumption of office, Ndiomu has reached out to the Head of the Federal Civil Service and security organizations for the employment of 350 trained ex-agitators.
According to him, “In less than five months in office he has effected the necessary reforms in PAP, and everyone is carried along in the scheme. He wants ex-agitators to be self-reliant and acquire entrepreneurial skills.”
He also called on ex-agitators, stakeholders, groups and organizations in the Niger Delta to support Ndiomu to realize his vision of improving the programme.
Last modified: January 23, 2023
