A former President of Urhobo Youth Council (UYC), Chief Sweet Eshenake, has disassociated the Urhobo from the calls that the Presidential Amnesty Programme should be scrapped and urged President Muhammadu Buhari to ignore such calls.
Chief Eshenake who is also a former member of the Delta Waterways Security said at a press briefing in Effurun, that recent statements credited to Olorogun Jaro Egbo on some national issues particularly concerning the Niger Delta Region and the amnesty programme does not reflect the true and present thinking of Urhobo youths.
Eshenake said that wider and extensive consultations should be made on issues and appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to take advantage of the gains so far made in the Niger Delta amnesty programme and extend same to the Boko Haram insurgents.
His words: “President Muhammadu Buhari should disregard calls for the scrapping of the amnesty programme. Those calling for the programme to be scrapped are merely being mischievous and do not wish the Niger Delta region any good. The programme has helped in no small measure to foster peace and unity in the Niger Delta region.
“It gave the youths a sense of belonging and meaningful sources of livelihood.
“Any attempt to tamper with the amnesty programme could be counterproductive. I seize this opportunity to appeal to all Urhobo youths to remain calm and avoid statements that can possibly cause chaos. All efforts must be made to sustain the peace we are currently enjoying in the region. This is the time for all youths of Urhobo extraction to come together and speak with one voice. There should be no discordant tunes in whatever form. Mr. President should sustain the amnesty programme which, without doubt, restored our oil production and other mineral resources to normal”.
The former UYC President called on the President to build upon and sustain the robust relationship between the Federal Government and former militant, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, which was initiated by former President Umaru Yar’Adua and strengthened by the immediate past president, Goodluck Jonathan.
He stated that if people like Tompolo are carried along in the scheme of things, it would go a long way in fostering enduring peace, sustainable unity and genuine development in the Niger Delta region.
Eshenake further said President Muhammadu Buhari should not to think about probing former President Goodluck Jonathan because it would be seen as selective justice. He however urged the president to endeavour to recover all looted funds from 1960, wherever they may have been hidden, and bring the perpetrators to book.