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Ex-Agitators Leadership Forum Tackles Ndiomu Over Presidential Amnesty Programme Crisis
..Says, Traditional Rulers now made themselves as praise singers of PAP
The Chairman of First Phase Ex-Agitator’s Leadership Forum, Bayelsa state Chapter, Charles Kurobo, has said that despite recent threats by the Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) Maj. Gen. Barry Ndiomu (rtd), aggrieved beneficiaries of the amnesty programme will continue to speak until issues relating to misappropriation bedeviling the programme are uncovered.
Mr. Korubo stated in Yenagoa while reacting to a statement in which the PAP Interim Administrator warned that those duly captured as PAP beneficiaries who are taking part in spreading false narratives against him and the amnesty office will be dealt with in accordance with the extant laws of the programme.
Explaining further, Korubo said that the enquiries of ex-agitators into the anomalies of the amnesty programme is not intended witch-hunt any individual as the PAP Interim Administrator makes it seem but to draw the attention of relevant authorities to how ex-agitators are denied access to vital information that will help them achieve economic integration and build their potentials to generate or gain employment.
He also alleged that if not for the support of Monarchs from the Niger Delta region who are supposed to be catalyst for human capital and social development in the Niger Delta, Ndiomu wouldn’t have chosen to issue threat to well meaning beneficiaries of the programme who genuinely making contributions on how he can better improve and achieve the mandates of the programme.
He said “We will continue to air our concerns as we possibly can till attention is drawn to the precarious nature and style of the current administration of the PAP marred by defilement in the quest for social and economic integration in the phase of human capacity development.”
“Our enquiries are not ill-intended as the PAP makes it seems but the unexpected defenses, created to deny us access to vital information with respect to economic integration and why we still lack the potentials to generate or gain employment and develop better use of our resources through the spread of technological knowledge as promised by the program when we gave up arms in 2009 has remained invincible and we will not stop asking or be forced to silence even if a serving or retired military general is involved.”
“We complained of misappropriation, denial of benefits and other entitlements or cause for review where necessary and the interim Administrator of the PAP, General Ndiomu is quick to put the integrity and credibility of the Nigerian banks to question, when we all know that it is impossible to run two accounts with your BVN even if it’s just an alphabet missing from any of the details linked to the BVN!
How did a digital portal created for a program with about thirty thousand (30,000) beneficiaries with a minimal ratio of digital and ICT knowledge, aid the PAP’s office under the current leadership to the discovery of the alarming figures allegedly discovered and steps that were taken to not just blocking but also bringing to book the banks, its officials and the beneficiaries criminated in the allegations?”
“It is only clear that Ex-agitators ignorant or lacking access to the portal are by general Ndiomu’s standard not worthy of the benefits from the PAP even when the affected were captured since 2009, using such as an ace to exhibit calumny.”
“The challenges before the leadership of the Ex-agitators forum is shocking! Having to manage those who have been denied training, empowerment and recently, monthly stipend, are always on our hills day and night and in most cases don’t see reasons when we say the PAP has maintained deaf ears but the best way forward is through peaceful resolution and we will continue to toe that Path.
“We have waited and waited but the disconnect between the Amnesty office, its coordinator and the ex-agitators’ leadership is getting wider by each passing day and sadly, unwary Kings from the region, who are supposed to be catalyst for human capital and social development in the Niger Delta, have chosen the position of where the monkey prefers banana to money when presented with both not knowing the much needed bananas can be bought with the money!
“Gullible and hungry kings from the region with beclouded civility made themselves praise singers and media arsenals of the PAP where concerns are glaring, clustering Gen. Ndiomu and using him as a platform to expose their timidity and advertise ignorance.
“No sane father will ignore his own child or prefer the place of his child as in the case of some of our Kings who have so attached themselves to the crumbs from the table of the current interim Administrator. It’s indeed a shame but there’s, not ours.
“Who knows, they may have been blindfolded with, as unwary as they are, to the idea that they will constitute the body of another impending scam aimed at the so-called N1.5b scheme recently publish to create an impression of sensitive activities at the PAP’s office.”
“Such kings identified with irresponsibility, incompetence and gross neglect of social, political and economic development of people from their kingdoms and the region large, like Ex-agitators in the case of the PAP can not and should not be trusted.”
“The naked lies of the PAP under Gen. Ndiomu has further revealed his desperation to remain the interim Administrator and continue to sabotage the focus of the presidency instead of executing the blue print of the program that will impact the desired positivity while fostering a peaceful coexistence amongst genuine stakeholders, not some those adapted Kings who seek relevance amidst mediocrity and falsehood.”
“What is right is right. Gen. Barry Ndiomu should not be ill-advised as we have see him to have derailed. Take President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s policies for example, even his enemies are now singing a different song because the direction is obvious and so are those in elective positions and appointments aligning with such policies for a desired future Nigeria and it’s citizens so longed for. Why then should an office directly under the presidency be allowed to navigate backwards or opposite?”
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From Construction Sites to Community Service: Temitope Akinyemi Emerges as a Model of Leadership and Impact
Energy experts in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector have defended the pricing structure of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, accusing some fuel markers of attempting to blackmail the refinery and mislead the public over the recent increase in petrol prices.
The experts said reports suggesting that the refinery’s latest adjustment is solely responsible for the recent hike in fuel prices were misleading, noting that importers are also bringing in petrol at almost a N1,000 per litre, while the refinery’s coastal price is N948 and the gantry or ex-depot price stands at N995 per litre.
They stressed that public comparisons fail to consider the differences in pricing structures and supply channels.
According to the experts, N948 per litre represents the coastal delivery price, which refers to petroleum products transported by marine vessels or barges from the refinery to depots along the coastline. On the other hand, N995 per litre represents the gantry or ex-depot price, which is the rate paid by marketers who load petrol directly from the refinery into tanker trucks at the loading gantry for onward distribution across the country.
The experts explained that the two figures should not be interpreted as conflicting prices but rather as different logistics arrangements within the petroleum distribution chain.
Speaking with our correspondent on Sunday, energy expert David Okon said the pricing adjustments were inevitable given prevailing market conditions.
According to him, Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals operates in a deregulated market and procures crude at international prices, which have risen sharply due to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
“The refinery is already absorbing part of the cost to cushion the impact of the crisis on Nigerians. We can see what is happening in other parts of the world where shortages and scarcity are being reported despite higher prices, yet the Dangote Refinery has continued to guarantee domestic supply,” he said.
Okon explained that when the refinery previously sold petrol at N774 per litre, crude oil was landing at about $68 per barrel. However, with crude now arriving at roughly $95 per barrel, the cost difference of about $27 per barrel translates to nearly N40,000 per barrel when converted to Naira.
“You cannot expect a refinery to continue selling at the old rate under those circumstances,” he added.
“If imported products were truly cheaper, importers would still be selling at the previous prices.”
He warned that without local refining capacity, Nigeria could have faced severe fuel shortages, long queues at filling stations and a resurgence of black market sales.
“Without the Dangote Refinery, many filling stations would likely shut down, queues would return across the country and black market traders would exploit the situation, hawking four litres keg at N20,000 or more. The refinery has effectively prevented that scenario,” he said.
Another analyst, Mohammed Ibrahim, also faulted narratives circulating in some quarters suggesting that the refinery’s pricing adjustment was responsible for worsening economic hardship in the country.
Accusing some importers of attempting to manipulate public perception, he said, “What we are seeing is nothing but deliberate blackmail by some fuel importers who feel threatened by local refining.
“They are twisting the pricing structure to mislead Nigerians and create unnecessary panic in the market.
“By exaggerating the refinery’s gantry price and ignoring the comparable costs of imported fuel, they are trying to make it appear as though Dangote Refinery is the cause of rising prices and economic hardship. This is a calculated attempt to protect their import businesses and undermine local refining, which is meant to reduce our dependence on imported petrol.”
Ibrahim added that such narratives were aimed at portraying the refinery as the reason Nigerians were struggling with higher petrol prices.
He stressed that petrol pricing in Nigeria is largely influenced by global crude oil prices, exchange rate fluctuations, and distribution logistics, noting that these factors affect both locally refined and imported fuel in the country’s deregulated market.
Afolabi Olowookere, Managing Director and Chief Economist at Analysts’ Data Services and Resources (ADSR) Limited, explained that although Nigerians expect refined products from the refinery to be significantly cheaper, prevailing market realities such as global crude oil prices, the cost of crude supply and refining margins make substantial price reductions unlikely in the short term.
“Therefore, improving domestic crude allocation to the refinery would strengthen supply stability and enhance the long term benefits of local refining for the economy,” Olowookere noted.
Recent conflicts in the Middle East and disruptions along key shipping lanes have tightened global oil supply, pushing crude prices past $90 per barrel, a development that directly raises the cost of both imported and locally refined petrol in Nigeria.
The unrest has pushed up fuel costs and transportation in several countries, including Ghana, the United States, the United Kingdom, South Africa, India, Canada, Brazil, Germany, France, and Japan, as rising crude prices increase the cost of refining, distribution, and logistics globally.
CHETACHI NWOGA-ECTON EMPOWERS 300 WIDOWS IN IMO
A renowned humanitarian and proud daughter of Mbaise in Imo State, High Chief (Dr.) Princess Chetachi Nwoga-Ecton, has empowered over 300 widows and vulnerable women across the Owerri Zone, in a remarkable demonstration of compassion and service to humanity.
The empowerment programme, which took place at the Palace of the Eze of Ngor Okpala, HRH Eze Engr. Fredrick Nwachukwu, brought together community leaders, traditional rulers, women groups and beneficiaries from different communities within the zone.
During the event, the widows received food materials and cash support, aimed at helping them meet basic needs and strengthen their small-scale businesses.
The initiative was widely applauded as a timely intervention to support women who often face severe economic hardship after losing their spouses.
Many of the beneficiaries expressed heartfelt appreciation to High Chief (Dr.) Nwoga-Ecton, describing the empowerment as a lifeline that would help them take better care of their families.
Some widows, while offering prayers for the philanthropist, noted that the gesture had restored hope and dignity in their lives.
Fondly known as Ada Imo and Adaure, High Chief (Dr.) Princess Chetachi Nwoga-Ecton has earned widespread admiration for her consistent humanitarian efforts both within Nigeria and internationally.
Through her philanthropic activities and foundations, she has continued to support widows, children, and vulnerable communities with interventions in healthcare, welfare and economic empowerment.
Community stakeholders who attended the programme commended the Mbaise-born philanthropist for her generosity and dedication to uplifting the less privileged, noting that her actions reflect true leadership and compassion.
Observers say the initiative further reinforces her growing reputation as one of the most impactful humanitarians of this generation, whose commitment to humanity continues to inspire hope across Imo State and beyond.
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