₦airaland Forum

FP pls

1. EVERY CHRISTIAN IS A PREACHER: Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. (Mark 16:15) Preaching is an assignment for every believer, and not just ‘pastors’ alone. Except you want to license every Christian.
2. NIGHT VIGIL: The practice of an all night congregational prayer is part and parcel of the Christian faith, limiting their duration for congregating to 8pm is an infringement on the practice of their faith
3. NOT ALL CHURCHES ARE MEMBERS OF CAN: So asking CAN to regulate or issue license won’t work. More so, only God’s word is the final authority and not a government, or CAN directive. (Read the book of Daniel)
4. EVANGELISM – Public preaching, house-to-house preaching, public vehicle preaching, is the sole target here.
5. MOST KADUNA PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND OFFICES HAVE NO PLACES FOR CHRISTIANS TO CONGREGATE FOR PRAYERS. The trick is to criminalise all Christians activities in offices, and campuses

APC ;DAPC

Talk is cheap. scammers

Olusegun Obasanjo, former president, and Nasir el-Rufai, governor of Kaduna state, have been accused of inflating and illegally approving the Abuja rail project.

The senate oversight committee said on Monday, February 15, 2015 that the former president and his minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) signed the project with over $195 million inflation.

Here are five infractions identified by the committee.

CONTRACT AWARDED WITHOUT DESIGN

During a visit to CCE, the Chinese company handling the rail project, the senate committee was told that Obasanjo and el-Rufai signed the contract without a planned design.

“The contract was awarded based on conceptual design and estimates were not properly done. There was no formal design submitted and rail bridges and crossover bridges were not captured in the contract,” Etim Abak, project manager of CCE, said.

PROJECT AWARDED WITH MOU

A memorandum of understanding (MOU) is the first step in sealing a contract. It is given weight in the sight of the law, and can be respected in a court of law should one party fail to meet the obligations of the memorandum.

The Abuja rail is said to have been awarded without an MOU. By implication, CCE could decide to abandon the project and there may be nothing a court can do in compelling the company to complete the project.

INFLATED TO THE TUNE OF N13 BILLION

In his response to CCE, Dino Melaye, chairman of the senate committee on FCT, said the project had been inflated excessively.

“I would want to say that I did a personal research and looked at rail construction of the same specifics, of the same technology across the globe and one cannot but complain that this railway project in Nigeria is on a very high side,” he said.

“From our research and it’s very simple, the world is now a global village. As you are sitting here now, on your phone, you can google even in India and Egypt. Fortunately, one of those projects in Zambia was also done by this same company, CCE.

“We have six countries and the average cost per kilometre, none is $4 million per kilometre. Why is the Nigerian project costing $13.8 million approximately $14 million dollars per kilometre.”

Going by Melaye’s figures, about $10 million was added as inflation on every kilometre, translating into $450 million for 45 kilometres and $670 million (N13 billion) for 67 kilometres.

REDUCTION WITHOUT COMMENSURATE REFUND

Melaye also said the length of the project was reduced by about 15 kilometres with no commensurate refund.

“You have reduced the length of the kilometre standard gauge from 60.67 kilometres to 45.245 kilometres. Meanwhile, there is no concomitant reduction if you juxtapose the length of kilometres and the reduction in terms of the cost,” he said.

“If we are to spend $841 million for 60.67 kilometres and now you have reduced to 45.245 kilometres and the only reduction in terms of monetary value is from $841.6 million to $823 million and with reduction of just about $17 million that to me is not commensurate to the reduction in terms of length.”

The committee however demanded a refund of $195.8 million (N3.87 billion) for the 15-kilometre reduction of the rail length.

QUESTIONABLE LENDING OF $500M

According to the committee, the project also shows that $500 (N9.9 billion) was borrowed from Exim Bank of China for the rail, after all the billions being pumped into the project by the federal government. The committee questioned the rationale behind the lending, arguing that the monies pumped into the project by the federal government was enough to run the project.

A non governmental organisation, Centre for Social Justice, CSJ, has queried some items in the 2016 budget, adding that the fiscal document contained N668.8 billion expenditures that are “frivolous, inappropriate, unclear and wasteful.” The budget, which has drawn flaks from some Nigerians, was presented to the 8th Assembly some weeks ago by President Muhammadu Buhari The group stated this in Abuja yesterday while unveiling a report that analyses the 2016 budget.

Lead Director, CSJ, Eze Onyekpere, who presented the report under Citizens Earth Platform, CEP, insisted that the budget should be reviewed in order to remove all expenditures that are of no value to the generality of Nigerians. He said it had become a tradition among Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, to allocate huge sums of money for expenditures that are unclear in the budget.

Some of the frivolous items the group uncovered are purchase of vehicles, welfare packages, software, computers, uniforms and clothing, refreshment and meals and subscription to professional bodies. Others are maintenance of office building/residential quarters, budget preparation, residential rents, and absence of price database, among others For instance, Onyekpere said N3.91 billion was allocated for annual reporting maintenance of villa facilities, while N618.6 million was budgeted for installation of electrical fittings.

Other expenses that the group considered wasteful are N272 million for upgrade of mechanical power line, N322.4 million for linking of cable to drivers’ restroom at the villa and N213.8 million for linking of cable from guest house to generator house. He said: “Despite provision for the maintenance of villa facilities, this huge sum is being considered for the same location. “The villa guest house and facilities has already taken so much. There seems to be a play on words around electricity for the sum of N1.83 billion. “These cannot be priorities for Nigeria in these lean times.

This is incredible and should be reduced by 70 per cent.” On the huge amount budgeted for vehicles, the group in the report, urged the National Assembly to demand an inventory of all existing vehicles in MDAs before considering such requests. The report said: “Purchase of vehicles is a common request across many MDAs. How do we determine genuine from frivolous requests? “Should NASS demand an inventory of existing vehicles? There is need for justification before every approval. The demand for vehicles is even specifically tied to some foreign brands.

“This is wrong under the Public Procurement Act as only the functional specification of a product should be in the budget.” The group said rather than spend these funds for the procurement of these items; it should be re-channeled to other productive sectors of the economy. Meanwhile, budget defence of the Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation, OSGOF, was yesterday stalled at the House of Representatives Committee on Works due to conflicting documents about what the Agency and the Law had. Drama started when the Toby Okechuwku-led Committee faulted the 2016 budget proposals of OSGOF, saying it was not in tandem with what President Muhammadu Buhari laid before the National Assembly.

so soon?
The man don tire?
I wan be president , I wan b president . oya see road. mmstcheww

so soon?
The man don tire?
I wan be president , I wan b president . oya see road. mmstcheww

Dahveydson:
Thankfully I watched it, if not i'd have believed Op.

If shouting, refusing to hear out your interviewers, distorting the words of the president and ministers, giving hilarious facts means taking them to the cleaners then you're right.

Those that didn't watch it, please try and do to judge yourself.

Let me tell you what happened last, He said the ministers appear not to be doing anything that everything was at a standstill, Then they showed him a clip of Fashola inspecting power plants, Right there on live TV, the man twisted what fashola said to suit his narrative.

For those saying ChannelsTV is pro-APC, I can only laugh. Channels neutrality and objectivity have kept them above all other stations in Nigeria for a very long time now.

Shut up, you know nothing

abduljabbar4:
Heart attack will soon kill u if u don't take care

Hunger go first kill u

Apc govt to power via propaganda , now they confused

Source

Dear Dr Goodluck Jonathan.
Sir, while you have gone.
1.) Those who accused you of cluelessnesss are today taking selfies at the Auto plants and with Made in Nigeria vehicles a dividend of your auto policy.
2.) Those who insulted you and insisted that the Petroleum subsidy program was a scam just approved a 0.5 Trillion naira subsidy scam payment.
3.) The Professor who claimed your successor will definitely bring fuel pump to = N40 have suddenly gone deaf and dumb while fuel prize is currently cruising around 600 naira in some cities.
4.) Those who claimed you were heading to Chad to plan more attacks on us were the first to visit Chad after you left.
5.) Your agricultural policies which yielded a lot of dividend is the next achievement your adversaries are planning to appropriate to themselves.
6.) When the Treasury Single Account was been hailed as a super invention they concealed your name and in scripted theirs, immediately it had little issues they dumped it on you, tomorrow they will claim IPPIS.
7.) They said you lacked the political will to fight insurgency yet most if not all the LGA'S you reclaimed and handed over to them have been lost with unimaginable loss of lives.
8.) Those who claimed the presidential Air fleet was too large and a complete waste of resources have spent over 5 billion naira in just 6 months fuelling the fleet and junketing from one continent to another without any thing to show for it.
8.) You said your ambition was not worth the blood of a single Nigerian you proved it by your actions.
9.) The first female Cadets of the NDA are grateful.
10.) The First set of students from the 11 new federal universities who are now in 400 level are grateful.
11.) The first Sets of students from the University of Petroleum are grateful.
12.) The First sets of Nigerian Pilots trained abroad are Grateful.
13.) The Recipients of the Presidential scholarship scheme for first class students which was recently suspended by our change agents are grateful
14.) The recipients of the Youwwin programme and the Youwwin for women are grateful
15.);The beneficiaries of the innovation in fertiliser distribution will never forget you.
16.) The 1000 Beneficiaries of the TETFUND scholarships for Lecturers in Nigerian Universities are grateful
17.) The generations that will access information via the freedom of information act (FOI) will see your signature
18.) The Millions of Almajiri pupils across Nigeria who benefited from you milk of kindness will live to testify it.
19.) Those who ply the Abuja - Lokoja Benin road will remain thankful
20.) NYSC Members who will benefit and those who have benefited from the increased of allowances from =N= 8216 to =N= 19800 are grateful.
21.) those who benefited from 6000 minimum wage to 18000 minimum wage will forever remain grateful
May heaven and History be kind to you today and Always.

Dear Dr Goodluck Jonathan.
Sir, while you have gone.
1.) Those who accused you of cluelessnesss are today taking selfies at the Auto plants and with Made in Nigeria vehicles a dividend of your auto policy.
2.) Those who insulted you and insisted that the Petroleum subsidy program was a scam just approved a 0.5 Trillion naira subsidy scam payment.
3.) The Professor who claimed your successor will definitely bring fuel pump to = N40 have suddenly gone deaf and dumb while fuel prize is currently cruising around 600 naira in some cities.
4.) Those who claimed you were heading to Chad to plan more attacks on us were the first to visit Chad after you left.
5.) Your agricultural policies which yielded a lot of dividend is the next achievement your adversaries are planning to appropriate to themselves.
6.) When the Treasury Single Account was been hailed as a super invention they concealed your name and in scripted theirs, immediately it had little issues they dumped it on you, tomorrow they will claim IPPIS.
7.) They said you lacked the political will to fight insurgency yet most if not all the LGA'S you reclaimed and handed over to them have been lost with unimaginable loss of lives.
8.) Those who claimed the presidential Air fleet was too large and a complete waste of resources have spent over 5 billion naira in just 6 months fuelling the fleet and junketing from one continent to another without any thing to show for it.
8.) You said your ambition was not worth the blood of a single Nigerian you proved it by your actions.
9.) The first female Cadets of the NDA are grateful.
10.) The First set of students from the 11 new federal universities who are now in 400 level are grateful.
11.) The first Sets of students from the University of Petroleum are grateful.
12.) The First sets of Nigerian Pilots trained abroad are Grateful.
13.) The Recipients of the Presidential scholarship scheme for first class students which was recently suspended by our change agents are grateful
14.) The recipients of the Youwwin programme and the Youwwin for women are grateful
15.);The beneficiaries of the innovation in fertiliser distribution will never forget you.
16.) The 1000 Beneficiaries of the TETFUND scholarships for Lecturers in Nigerian Universities are grateful
17.) The generations that will access information via the freedom of information act (FOI) will see your signature
18.) The Millions of Almajiri pupils across Nigeria who benefited from you milk of kindness will live to testify it.
19.) Those who ply the Abuja - Lokoja Benin road will remain thankful
20.) NYSC Members who will benefit and those who have benefited from the increased of allowances from =N= 8216 to =N= 19800 are grateful.
21.) those who benefited from 6000 minimum wage to 18000 minimum wage will forever remain grateful
May heaven and History be kind to you today and Always.

So it's not Buhari's iniative ? Wow. Interesting

https://www.thecable.ng/lord-take-soul-struggle-continues-19-ken-saro-wiwa-quotesKen


Saro Wiwa is best known as the writer who fought fiercely for the rights of the Ogoni people in south-south Nigeria, eventually paying the ultimate price. Saro Wiwa was hanged today, November 10, but back in 1995 – 20 years ago – after being tried by a military tribunal he said had written the judgement in advance. In letter from prison, he wrote: “A year has gone by since I was rudely roused from my bed and clamped into detention. “Sixty-five days in chains, weeks of starvation, months of mental torture and, recently, the rides in a steaming, airless Black Maria to appear before a kangaroo court, dubbed a special military tribunal, where the proceedings leave no doubt that the judgment has been written in advance. And a sentence of death against which there is no appeal is a certainty.” Here are 20 other quotes from the “true son” of Ogoniland. 1. “Lord take my soul, but the struggle continues.” 2. “The men we are dealing with are mindless, Stone Age dictators addicted to blood.” 3. “In Nigeria, the only wrongdoers are those who do no wrong; to live a day in Nigeria is to die many times.” 4. “[Nigeria’s rulers] have been responsible for the African nightmare, afraid as they are of ideas and men of ideas. They are daylight robbers who kill for money.” 5. “Water wey dey boil No hot like dis Nigeria.” 6. “Forgive me friend, if I laugh at what should make me cry.” 7. “You cannot destroy an idea like mine…Even if I were to die tomorrow, even if I were to be locked up in prison…You can’t destroy an idea like mine.” 8. “I want the country to be together. I want one country, but I want a true federation, not this apparition…” 9. “It is said that a prophet is not without honour save in his country and in his own house. But I have found honour among my beloved Ogoni people who have suffered immensely in the last hundred years.” 10. “The most important thing for me is that I’ve used my talents as a writer to enable the Ogoni people to confront their tormentors. I was not able to do it as a politician or a businessman. My writing did it. And it sure makes me feel good! I’m mentally prepared for the worst, but hopeful for the best. I think I have the moral victory.” 11. “Unless you go back to how the country started, we will never be able to find a way out of our dilemma.” 12. “The writer cannot be a mere storyteller; he cannot be a mere teacher; he cannot merely X-ray society’s weaknesses, its ills, its perils. He or she must be actively involved shaping its present and its future.” 13. “In this country [England], writers write to entertain, they raise questions of individual existence…but for a Nigerian writer in my position you can’t go into that. Literature has to be combative.” 14. “I have no doubt at all about the ultimate success of my cause, no matter the trials and tribulations which I and those who believe with me may encounter on our journey. Neither imprisonment nor death can stop our ultimate victory.” 15. “I and my colleagues are not the only ones on trial. Shell is here on trial and it is as well that it is represented by counsel said to be holding a watching brief.” 16. “Any nation which can do to the weak and disadvantaged what the Nigerian nation has done to the Ogoni, loses a claim to independence and to freedom from outside influence.” 17. “Shell and the Nigerian military dictatorship are violent institutions, as the Ogoni planned peace and dialogue, Shell and the Nigerian military plotted death and destruction.” 18. “I call upon the Ogoni people, the peoples of the Niger delta, and the oppressed ethnic minorities of Nigeria to stand up now and fight fearlessly and peacefully for their rights. History is on their side. God is on their side. For the Holy Quran says in Sura 42, verse 41: ‘All those that fight when oppressed incur no guilt, but Allah shall punish the oppressor.’ Come the day.” 19. “The men who ordain and supervise this show of shame, this tragic charade, are frightened by the word, the power of ideas, the power of the pen.” 20. “Whether I live or die is immaterial. It is enough to know that there are people who commit time, money and energy to fight this one evil among so many others predominating worldwide. If they do not succeed today, they will succeed tomorrow.”

Read more at: https://www.thecable.ng/lord-take-soul-struggle-continues-19-ken-saro-wiwa-quotes

OK

Oya na. If na PDP talk am now.......hennnnnn

DelGardo:
Change is here.

Bros, show me the change.

Dannyset:
Help ursef by combing the pages of the FP. It's there.

Don't say what you don't know!

Dannyset:
Don't say what you don't know! The real story made FP before the reaction. This is probably another story from the twitter warlord after the reaction.

Boss help me with a link

Nairaland has so changed!

A reaction to the above post made FP and the real story got tucked in a corner!

Change indeed is here!

https://www.thecable.ng/buhari-showing-signs-helplessness-says-bruce

Ben Murray Bruce, representative of Bayelsa east senatorial district at the national assembly, wants President Muhammadu Buhari to put the past behind him and face the task of governance. Buhari has continued to lament the current state of the economy, accusing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of running the economy aground. “The government is broke; there is no money. This country was materially and morally vandalised,” he told journalists at a press conference in New Delhi, India. But the lawmaker disagrees with the president, saying he must take responsibility and devise strategies geared towards transforming the country. “You can only blame your predecessor for your problems for so long. After six months, so long becomes too long!” he wrote on Twitter. “Six months is one-eighth of a four-year tenure. If you are still blaming your predecessor after six months, when are you going to ever deliver the goods? “Blaming others is a sign of helplessness. A numero uno should not blame. He must take responsibility for leading us out of troubled waters.” Saying he is not bothered by those who would criticise him for challenging Buhari, Bruce said those who love the president will tell him the “truth”. “Those who advise Buhari to make hay while the sun shines are his friends. It is unwise to make blame while the sun shines,” he said. “Go ahead and attack me, I don’t mind. I am not the president or a governor. I’m just a Nigerian who loves Buhari enough to tell him the truth! “Those who insult and call us enemies for advising the president and governors to focus on delivering results instead of blaming don’t love Nigeria.”

Read more at: https://www.thecable.ng/buhari-showing-signs-helplessness-says-bruce

Very daft

Is rivers Lagos?

Appealling gives more time and edge to prepare

Who even send this one?

DropShot:
Many of us neutrals do not care who wins in Rivers. What we care about is the process that produces the governor.

Can any sane person really defend the April 11 gubernatorial election in Rivers and Akwa Ibom?

Just as any same person can not defend the under age votting in kano. Or the bribe scandal in yobe or the dss interference in the tribunal.

He read English Language.
Never worked for one day.
Never did business for one day.

Rivers state gave him an opportunity to serve the state at the state assembly.
Rivers state gave him another chance and made him a speaker.
Rivers state struggled and gave him the state by making him governor.
Rivers state voted for and gave him a second term.
Rivers state loved him and still love him.
-----------------------------------------

He stopped working for Rivers state.
He started working for APC.
He started diverting Rivers state money.
He had an ambition.
He was doing everything to achieve it.
He began to withdraw from the treasury.
He withdrew.
He withdrew.
He took loan.
He took loan.
He impoverished the state.
-----------------------------------------

Rivers state began to complain.
Rivers state began to lament.
Rivers state began to lack.
Rivers state began to cry.
Rivers state lost its pride.
Rivers state became empty.
Rivers state became pained.
-----------------------------------------

Strangers came in.
Strangers stole from us
Strangers rape us.
Strangers brought us pains.
Strangers became kings and ruled us.
-----------------------------------------

Strangers began to praise him.
Strangers began to call him sweet names.
Strangers stylishly turned him into a slave.
Strangers made him driver.
Strangers made him bodyguard.
Strangers made him wife excort.
Strangers made him enemy to his people.
-----------------------------------------

They needed 100%
They got 80% from him.

He read English Language.
Never worked for one day.
Never did business for one day.

Rivers state gave him an opportunity to serve the state at the state assembly.
Rivers state gave him another chance and made him a speaker.
Rivers state struggled and gave him the state by making him governor.
Rivers state voted for and gave him a second term.
Rivers state loved him and still love him.
-----------------------------------------

He stopped working for Rivers state.
He started working for APC.
He started diverting Rivers state money.
He had an ambition.
He was doing everything to achieve it.
He began to withdraw from the treasury.
He withdrew.
He withdrew.
He took loan.
He took loan.
He impoverished the state.
-----------------------------------------

Rivers state began to complain.
Rivers state began to lament.
Rivers state began to lack.
Rivers state began to cry.
Rivers state lost its pride.
Rivers state became empty.
Rivers state became pained.
-----------------------------------------

Strangers came in.
Strangers stole from us
Strangers rape us.
Strangers brought us pains.
Strangers became kings and ruled us.
-----------------------------------------

Strangers began to praise him.
Strangers began to call him sweet names.
Strangers stylishly turned him into a slave.
Strangers made him driver.
Strangers made him bodyguard.
Strangers made him wife excort.
Strangers made him enemy to his people.
-----------------------------------------

They needed 100%
They got 80% from him.

There are very strong indications that Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, working through one Livingstone Wechie, has secured a court order to stop the Senate from screening former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi as a ministerial nominee.

Wechie through his organisation, Integrity Group had claimed, that Amaechi corruptly enriched himself while in office as Governor.

Amaechi had denied every of the allegations, describing it as a witch-hunt.

The order, reportedly secured from a Rivers State High Court, is expected to be served on the senate before its sitting, today, Thursday.

A source also hinted that the court papers had already been served on the Senate before the close of work on Wednesday.

Amaechi was initially one of the ten ministerial nominees scheduled to be screened on Wednesday but his screening was deferred as a result of the delay in the report of the Senate’s Ethics and Privileges Committee.

http://dailypost.ng/2015/10/15/ministerial-screening-pdp-secures-court-order-to-stop-amaechi/

1. "I dont fix prices" - Fashola
On his N75m website

2. "Ekiti N2.5b government house is the cheapest in the nation" - Fayemi
On the alledge N50m bed

ok

http://news.yahoo.com/tensions-build-nigerias-oil-rich-delta-101600212.html

By Ulf Laessing

YENAGOA, Nigeria (Reuters) - Enjoying a chilled cider in a hotel pool bar, former Nigerian militant leader Ebi John has a simple message for President Muhammadu Buhari - keep paying my men or risk a new insurgency in the Niger Delta.

Tensions have been building in the southern swampland since Buhari said in his inauguration speech in May that he wanted to "streamline" an amnesty, that included stipend payments, agreed in 2009 with militants who were fighting for a greater share of oil revenues and hampering output in Africa's biggest producer.

Buhari's spokesman Femi Adesina told Reuters the president wanted to continue the amnesty "as long as necessary" though it was not a long-term answer to the region's problems.

But as details remain unclear, uncertainty has fuelled speculation that when the amnesty's original term ends in December, Buhari could halt or cut the benefits given to 30,000 youths and former militants aimed at discouraging them from blowing up pipelines or kidnapping oil workers.

Buhari's comments also reinforced suspicions in some quarters that his home region, the mainly Muslim north, wants to exploit the Christian and relatively neglected south that generates 70 percent of state income.

"My people are suffering. We drink from the river where we also wash and defecate," Ebi said, sitting in a bar next to a swimming pool in Yenagoa, capital of Bayelsa state, home to major oil fields.

"If the government does not meet our demands we will take control of our resources. We will manage our own oil," Ebi said, prompting nods from other ex-militant leaders who, like him, call themselves "general".

The amnesty for the Christian militants, who wanted a greater share of oil revenues and to end what they call the region's historic marginalisation, was implemented by Buhari's predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan, a Delta Christian.

The Delta's town and cities have been quiet but in the mangrove swamps where most oil wells are located, kidnappings and armed robberies have recently gone up, according to Delta residents.

Gunmen attacked a Shell oilfield on Friday and it had to shut a major pipeline in August to stop oil theft.

"Sea piracy and armed robberies are on the rise," said environmental activist Alagoa Morris. "I am an indigenous person but I am afraid to go to the creeks. They rape, kill and maim."

Under the amnesty, worth an estimated $300 million annually, thousands of men have received job training but those who have finished courses have struggled to land jobs in an oil industry that mainly hires highly skilled workers.

Instead, the main benefits have been lucrative contracts to secure pipelines, and a monthly 65,000 naira ($330) cash handout that has allowed them to leave the mosquito-infested creeks and settle in cities such as Yenagoa or Port Harcourt.

Many have started families, and fear losing their main source of income.

"I have three kids. I pay 35,000 naira for each of them for the kindergarten per term," said Samuel Epitari, another general sitting at a table packed with beer bottles.

In the heyday of the "oil business", Epitari added, he made 500,000 naira a month, and would not hesitate to take up arms again if Buhari turns off the money taps.

"We will go back to our struggle," he said, adding that some groups had started recruiting again.

CORRUPTION

In the March election, Delta voters backed Jonathan, their local "son", and largely kept their cool when he conceded.

But handouts to the youths and former militants have not been paid for three months, according to "Ex-General Pastor" Reuben Wilson who warned in a statement of "catastrophic consequences" should the amnesty end.

The region gets an extra 13 percent from state revenues but corruption has stunted development in the Delta relative to the rest of Nigeria.

A new airport and new hospital never materialised in Yenagoa, where street vendors sell fried snails next to garbage piles. Life in the creeks, where basic services are almost non-existent, are even tougher.

In Yenaka, just a few miles outside Yenagoa by boat - there is no tarmac road or bridge - villagers and crew have to raise their hands as they pass a maritime checkpoint because police are so wary of getting ambushed.

On the jetty, women wash their hair in the river as there is no running water while young men doze on plastic chairs, trying to escape the heat inside their single-storey buildings.

Yenaka is home to the family of Diezani Alison-Madueke, Jonathan's oil minister who is now being investigated by anti-corruption police in Britain.

She has denied any wrongdoing but villagers see her as typifying an elite that has failed to drag Africa's most populous nation out of poverty.

"Right from the time she was elected she has not done anything for our community," said Oguta Douglas, the deputy community leader, sitting on a traditional throne in his modest house. "There is nothing here, you can see for yourself. No water, no light, no road."

The oil firms have tried to win over villages by bringing roads and water but community leaders say the projects are too little and poorly conceived - for instance setting up diesel generators that residents cannot afford to run.

"The oil companies are only interested in scooping out the oil and leave the impact to us," said Obunagha community elder Tari Dadiowei. "If the amnesty ends I don't know what will happen."

($1 = 199.0 naira)