Hundreds of Ijaw youths from the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) stormed the corporate office of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) yesterday on a solidarity march for President Muhammadu Buhari and his special adviser on Niger Delta, Charles Dokubo.
The placard-carrying youths led by president of the Ijaw Youth Association (IYA) in northern Nigeria, Akasah Kelvin, said the march was to galvanise support for Buhari’s re-election.
Akasah said the group scheduled a town hall meeting for Tuesday, January 29, in Abuja to endorse Buhari for a second term, adding that plans were also underway to hold a three million-man march for him in the nation’s capital.
His words: “We are here to tell the whole world that President Buhari and Prof. Charles Dokubo have done well. For the past nine months that Mr. President appointed him (Dokubo), he has done enough. Since he came into office, all the moribund training centres have been revamped.
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 have done well and will take Niger Delta to the Next Level.”
Responding, Dokubo expressed appreciation to members of the group for publicly demonstrating support for him and Buhari. He assured that the PAP under his watch would be used to transform youths in the Niger Delta.
“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; for it to transform you. It is not only about paying N65,000; it is for making you to realise that through this office, which has been supported by the president, who has given us the backing, you must work for him.”
While urging them to be united and organised, Dokubo emphasised his determination to ensure that the PAP is refocused to achieve its original mandate and transform its beneficiaries to become change agents.