2023: Don’t campaign in 9 Niger Delta States, Ex-militants to presidential candidates

Ex-militants in the oil rich Niger Delta States have warned all presidential candidates to stay away from the region.

The former militants are protesting against the Nigerian government what they called neglect of the region and denial of their welfare package under the presidential amnesty programme.

Their warning was at the back drop of the 2023 campaign that has started which all the presidential candidates are now going round the country.

The ex-militants under the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) warned that they will strike, if any of the candidates comes to any States of the Niger Delta to campaign.

The only way, they would allow campaign in the affected States, they said, was pay was payment of their
outstanding allowances by the federal government.

During a protest to the secretariat of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Yenagoa, the militants gave one week to the Federal government to offset their allowances or face their strike.

The National Chairman of phase two beneficiaries of the amnesty programme, Aso Tambo, queried the delisting of 2,952 beneficiaries from the scheme and also demanded the resumption of their N65,000 monthly stipend.

The Ex-militants also vowed to take their protests to Abuja at a later time

He said: “We have all met and adopted our strategy against the refusal of the amnesty office to pay 2,952 beneficiaries.

“We want them to pay those affected within one week or else we will mobilise and occupy the presidential amnesty office in a strategic manner. If it is not still paid, we will not allow a peaceful conduct of presidential campaigns within the nine states of the Niger Delta region.

“If they feel we are dogs that bark and can not bite, they should dare us and see the consequence. They should consider the monthly stipends important and know that such payment will lead to an unimaginable crises of not paid immediately.”

They also want a review of how those to benefit from the ongoing scholarship programme to enroll 20 persons in higher institutions of learning are selected.