Why Ex-militants must come out for October 1st End Bad Governance protest

If anybody must protest for bad governance, Ex-agitators must be the first to carry the placards.

Ex-agitators are set of individuals who were called in the past, as Agitators or Militants, in  the creeks of the Niger-Delta, that carry arms against the Nigerian government for the underdevelopment and the exploitation of the region for the detriment of her people.

In their Agitation, changes were made, even vice president was given to the Ijaws, who were the key tribe  in the struggle, in the person of Former President, Goodluck Jonathan.

The presidential Amnesty Programme was given,  by the then president, Umaru Musa Yar’dua to these group of people, numbering about 30,000, now known as Ex-agitators, Ex-militants or delegates as the case may be.

The presidential Amnesty Programme was not given,because, the Federal government of Nigeria was interested in the well-being and progress of the Niger-Delta people, and her environment, but because the oil production which is the main stay of the Nigeria economy, that as been affected by the activities of these groups of people now called the Ex-agitators, so, to mollify them, in order for the federal government to keep on exploiting the people of the region,is this so called Amnesty Programme.

As the Amnesty Programme was accepted,  numerous promises were made and of cause the Almighty monthly N65,000 was supposed to be an allowance. I don’t want to go into details for the sake of time.

In its inception, till now, different Administrators of the Programme have handled the leadership role of the Amnesty office, all of these persons will come with different Programmes and promises, making the Ex-agitators to hope for a better future but at all the time, the Ex-agitators will be left poorer than the way they met them.

The N65,000 has become a life saver for the Ex-agitators, as these different Administrators have dealt with the Ex-agitators to wholly depends on the N65,000 for their livelihood, as small as the money, yet is very important for the Ex-agitators, so, in making them longing for it, the Administrators have made it in a way the monthly payment of the N65,000 is not regular. Some times, they have to wait for over two months to receive the money, in other occasions it comes half of the next month, while some times it comes early, making it to be a surprise package for the Ex-agitators, that if it finally comes, it give them a sigh of relief, and before then, they might have owe enough debt, so, as it comes, they use it to offset debt, and then, begin to wait for the next month.

Successive Administrators of the Programme have device  ways to manipulate these Ex-agitators for their advantage and on the detriment of the Ex-agitators. When these Ex-agitators speak in one voice, it will be difficult for any Administrator to use them, so what they normally do is to form a divide and rule tactics, this method was really prevalent in the last Ndiomu led Administration,  whereby certain few group of the Ex-agitators were used, making some benefits available for them and use them as a mouth piece against their fellow Ex-agitators, so as any point their is something to criticize or to protest for , these segments of Ex-agitators are always on standby to counter the remaining ones, these they do to have a fake-good record in the eye of the unsuspecting public.

In this Otuaro Administration, the same method is playing out, Otuaro has stayed in the office going to Over Six months, but no tangible thing has been done that is of a great benefit to the Ex-agitators, even the common N65,000 that he promised to pay early, he can’t fulfill, yet the Ex-agitators are praising him, why, because many of them want to gain favour with him, just like the previous Administration, you criticize, you are out, you praise, you are in.

Currently the phase II and the Phase III are having factional Leadership, so, each of the factions are romancing the office, in order to befriend her for some benefits that might come, just like the previous Administration.

Base on the prevailing Economic situation, people are talking about increase in the minimum wage, yet, in the Amnesty Programme, the N65,000 that is not even enough to buy one bag of rice,is still holding sway and the Administrator of the Programme is showing no concern  to it, there is no move as in to how things will improve in the lives of the Ex-agitators. especially looking at the area of increasing the monthly stipend.

A Programme that was made to better the lives of the Ex-agitators, is going in a different direction. Only God knows how many of the Ex-agitators or their ward that will be given scholarships for the ongoing PAP 2024/2025 scholarship Programme, many of the Camp leaders and members of Camp are yet to benefits from the scholarship Programme, yet people who are not part of the Programme have benefitted more.

In my observation, no Administrator, past or present, is in the Amnesty office for the purpose of the betterment of the Ex-agitators,all of them are political jobbers, looking for their daily bread. The destiny of the Ex-agitators is in their hands.

The forth coming #End bad Governance protest on October 1st 2024, is a better opportunity to write the wrong.

Let all the Ex-agitators come out en mass to join the Ordinary Nigerians for the protest, the last protest we failed to join as many of our so called leaders in the Niger-Delta encouraged us not to join.

They will still come this time with their fake promises, but let us disappoint them this time, the destiny of the Ex-agitators is in their hands. the last meeting that was held in Port Harcourt were Senate president, Godswill Akpabio was part, where monies were given to some of the so called leaders in the region to silence the voices of the Ex-agitators, this time enough of all this nonsense.

Thank God the youths in the North are very much ready, is a good opportunity to shut down every nock and cranny, to demand for our right.

I’m, PASSMAN Akpos,
The Militant with a pen, A child of God, Author, A social Commentator, activist, Political Analyst,A journalist, An investigator…..

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