The Special Assistant to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Prof. Quaker Dokubo, on Thursday revealed that he is not interested in investigating the activities of his predecessor.
Dokubo made this known while inaugurating an eight-man Operational Review Committee to fast-track the realization of the PAP mandate.
He said: “I will not go into examining those who were here before. I am trying to drive a path I will follow. Whatever problem that existed here is not my problem. It is the problem of government to do whatever they like to do. I don’t investigate people.
“I have just come to this place; if there is any issue, the Federal Government should take up those who are involved in it. I am not here to do that.
“I am dealing with a peculiar situation; our country has been turned into shreds. Our environment has been so militarized. What we are trying to do is to take a unique step. The steps we are taking are different from what is obtainable in the UN Amnesty programme.
“You have those who have obtained their PHD and Masters degrees under this programme, that is why it is home grown and home driven programme.”
He said the inauguration of the review committee became imperative to enable the new administration deepen the ongoing efforts by the Federal Government to achieve a lasting peace in the Niger Delta region of the country.
Dokubo added that the committee was inaugurated to underscore the compelling need to recalibrate and reboot the Presidential Amnesty Programme to meet current realities in the Niger Delta region and Nigeria at large.
He said, “I wish to use the opportunity of the inauguration of this committee to underscore the compelling need to re-calibrate and reboot the Presidential Amnesty Programme to meet current realities in the Niger Delta region and Nigeria at large.
“I do not intend to run a one-man-show. I am very conscious of the fact that the region, like most other parts of Nigeria, is a repository of intellectuals and innovative thinkers.
“Given my resolve to put my best foot forward in carrying out the assignment our great nation has given me, I shall constantly be tapping from the massive pool of intellectual resources that abound across Nigeria. It is pursuant to this resolve that I have invited some of the best minds I know to help me and indeed the Federal Government of Nigeria, to begin the processes of charting a new course for the Amnesty Programme.
“For now, these eminent Nigerians will help me review the hand over notes and the briefs submitted by all departmental heads. They are at liberty to call for and review other books in the Amnesty Office.
“The Review Committee has my full authority and approval to take oral depositions or seek clarifications from any person or persons including current departmental heads.”
According to Dokubo, the Review Committee is comprised of four senior officials from the Amnesty office and four experts that were carefully selected from outside of the office.
The four officials from the Amnesty Office that are serving in the committee are the Director of Finance and Accounts, the Director of Procurement, Director of Administration as well as the Head of Audit, adding that the Director of Procurement, is the chairman of the committee, while the Head of Administration of the office shall serve as the secretary of the committee.
The external members of this Review Committee are as follows: Prof. Ayibaemi Spiff ; Chief Otonye T.K.D Amachree; Unyime Isong Eyo and Azizat Mohammed.
