A former leader of the Niger Delta Vigilante, High Chief Ateke Tom, has urged the President-elect, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), not to abandon the Amnesty Programme put in place by ex-President Musa Yar’Adua and continued by President Goodluck Jonathan.
Ateke Tom, who congratulated Buhari on his victory at the poll, also appealed to him to collaborate with leaders in the Niger Delta to develop the oil -rich region.
The former militant leader, who assured Buhari that the people of the region would support his administration, added that nobody would go back to the creeks or attack oil installations.
The ex-fighter, who spoke with newsmen in Okrika Local Government Area on Friday, appealed to Buhari to continue where President Jonathan would stop on the Amnesty Programme, describing the programme as a creation of the struggle of the former Niger Delta agitators.
“I am congratulating Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) on his victory during the election. We thank God for today that Buhari is now our President-elect and we pray to God to give him wisdom to lead our country aright.
“We want him to work with the real leaders in the Niger Delta region and not those who only parade themselves as leaders, but they are not real leaders. He (Buhari) should always speak with the Niger Delta leaders, especially as it concerns the development of the region.
“He should not forget the Amnesty Programme because we always remember the struggle that eventually led to the declaration of the Amnesty Programme. We did not get it (Amnesty Programme) through the backdoor. So, we want it to continue.
“We are ready to work with Buhari. Some people are saying they want to go back to the creeks and blow up oil installations, but me, Ateke Tom, is not interested in all those things and I assure the President-elect that nobody will go back to the creeks.
“I am a man, who also have a say in the Niger Delta region and one of the former top fighters, I am using the opportunity to assure Nigerians that nobody will go back to the creeks,” Ateke Tom stressed.
On the disagreement between him and the River State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, he pointed that though the governor and some politicians in the state hated him, such hatred had made him more popular.
He, however, explained that sometimes, the governor fought for a just cause to bring development to the state and hope that he and Amaechi would one day become best of friends.
“Everybody knows that Amaechi hates me. Up till now, Amaechi still hates me. Unless our incoming President will be thoughtful, Amaechi could convince him (Buhari) to fight me. The politician only knows how to lie.
“Amaechi hates me. He (Amaechi) was not at the Okrika rally and those who were there on that day mentioned the real people they saw there, but Amaechi must mention my name. But God will help him (Amaechi). He will change because it has been said that your worst enemy could be your best friend. There is no problem, one day, we will become best of friends.”
He urged the youths to shun violence, cautioning that troublemakers could be shot during the election and could leave their families to suffer the consequence.
The former warlord thanked the Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, for conducting a free and fair election, even as he commended President Goodluck Jonathan for conceding defeat and congratulating Buhari.

Ohkae Ateke..the battle line is drawn!!..it's about time you look for something better. That will fetch you more cash..






#though it's gonna be less than what you've been getting!!

....and if he does,what will happen?
Absolutely nothing!

He should go look for a job. .. The party is over


Or he can use his kinsmen for money ritual, if he is incapable of watering down his flamboyant lifestyle..

Really? U sure say dis na 4rm ur mind?

buhari is not that foolish na

Pinkiedearie:
Source?

http://www.punchng.com/news/ateke-tom-to-buhari-dont-scrap-amnesty-programme/


You wan chop am??

This is how lazy Jonathan has made these guys. Imagine the kind of rubbish an able bodied young man, with no physical disability whatsoever, opens his mouth to say.

Only in Nigeria.

STPEACE:
http://www.punchng.com/news/ateke-tom-to-buhari-dont-scrap-amnesty-programme/


You wan chop am??

omenka:
This is how lazy Jonathan has made these guys. Imagine the kind of rubbish an able bodied young man, with no physical disability whatsoever, opens his mouth to say.

Only in Nigeria.

I doubt if u read d article, d tittle is misleading

Scrapping it will be difficult. But it is unfair to those not befitting from this. Should we all start blowing up infrastructures so we can all enjoy free salary?
Say it is their oil.
How many people are benefiting from this amnesty out of the millions living in the Niger Delta.
In my own opinion, the militants are plain greedy set of people with only selfish interests.
Many live in the Niger Delta, yet a few violent ones are the ones benefiting from the federal government. What has the top militants given back to their communities after making billions from the FG. Lets keep fooling ourselves

Good, if true

olatunji21:

I doubt if u read d article, d tittle is misleading

The title is not misleading. That is just the summary. We all know the real reason why these people are fighting (those threatening to go back to the creeks are all trying to protect their share of the national cake. NONE of them is after the development of the Niger delta. Go to the creeks, NOTHING has changed, but because of money they all laid down their weapons while the average Niger deltan continues in suffering. Hypocrites!

Free money has expiry date.

Buhari would not be that uninformed

SORRY for diversion. Please who knows what the Igbo statement ' E to chala' means in English

geesampower:
Scrapping it will be difficult. But it is unfair to those not befitting from this. Should we all start blowing up infrastructures so we can all enjoy free salary?
Say it is their oil.
How many people are benefiting from this amnesty out of the millions living in the Niger Delta.
In my own opinion, the militants are plain greedy set of people with only selfish interests.
Many live in the Niger Delta, yet a few violent ones are the ones benefiting from the federal government. What has the top militants given back to their communities after making billions from the FG. Lets keep fooling ourselves

The program was designed to end may 2015. The idea was to train and integrate the militants back into the society. This would have been achieved but for the lack of foresight and greed of gej.
Now let me break it down.
1. Majority of the real agitators were left out of the program.
2. Not a single ex agitator was giving an elite trsining. Eg, piloting or scholaship to school abroad. The best they got was welding or the likes frm some third world states.
3. The initial idea was to attract investors like Hyundai heavy (ship builders), commence work on other trains of NLNG at Bonny, construct roads and other infrastructures amongst other things in the region. many of the boys would have been gainfully employed if gej had seen the plan thru. But the reality on ground after 5yrs is clear to all. Amnesty under jonathan is a drain pipe. The creeks are still very volatile because the govt was not sincere frm the onset. Simply put, amnesty is a SCAM?
4. The program was designed to have direct impact on the foot soldiers as the generals. But the focus as we have noticed is on a few ex warlords. No delibrate approach to achieving the original aim. The result is clear. Oil theft and vandalism is still high.
5. I have a friend who works in the amnesty office, she is a multi millionair. Like her, many of the ex warlords have properties scattered all over. Its just sharing and sharing and sharing.
6. Gej in his wisdom gave the militants contracts to protect the same pipelines they bursted to steal oil. Today it is a free for all siphoning. No more restrictions. The rate of spills in nigeria today is about the highest in recent times.

I could go on and on. Ateke recieves billions yearly frm the govt so am not suprised.
Amnesty was largely turned into an 'ijaw only' business. Even ateke is begging for development in the region. That means gej deviated frm the original plan. He did nothing to advnce the program beyong hand outs.

Gej's exit is like a blessing in disguise. What the niger delta need at this point is a leader who will stand his grounds to make sure most of the programs and policies on the region. Not one who will prefer to put perfum over shiit and allow the stench hibernate for a while.

alright we haf hear.

geesampower:
Scrapping it will be difficult. But it is unfair to those not befitting from this. Should we all start blowing up infrastructures so we can all enjoy free salary?
Say it is their oil.
How many people are benefiting from this amnesty out of the millions living in the Niger Delta.
In my own opinion, the militants are plain greedy set of people with only selfish interests.
Many live in the Niger Delta, yet a few violent ones are the ones benefiting from the federal government. What has the top militants given back to their communities after making billions from the FG. Lets keep fooling ourselves

The amnesty rogramme should stop.If it is done transparently I will advocate every kobo of it should be put into the Delta.Yes there should be money for the DELTA but NOT for militants.I do not think the militants should be disrespected while it is happening but it has t stop.At any rate militant who was 35 in 2005 is now 45 the 10 year old is now 20 and would soon want to get paid. Are we also going to pay Shekau?

tripod:


The program was designed to end may 2015. The idea was to train and integrate the militants back into the society. This would have been achieved but for the lack of foresight and greed of gej.
Now let me break it down.
1. Majority of the real agitators were left out of the program.
2. Not a single ex agitator was giving an elite trsining. Eg, piloting or scholaship to school abroad. The best they got was welding or the likes frm some third world states.
3. The initial idea was to attract investors like Hyundai heavy (ship builders), commence work on other trains of NLNG at Bonny, construct roads and other infrastructures amongst other things in the region. many of the boys would have been gainfully employed if gej had seen the plan thru. But the reality on ground after 5yrs is clear to all. Amnesty under jonathan is a drain pipe. The creeks are still very volatile because the govt was not sincere frm the onset. Simply put, amnesty is a SCAM?
4. The program was designed to have direct impact on the foot soldiers as the generals. But the focus as we have noticed is on a few ex warlords. No delibrate approach to achieving the original aim. The result is clear. Oil theft and vandalism is still high.
5. I have a friend who works in the amnesty office, she is a multi millionair. Like her, many of the ex warlords have properties scattered all over. Its just sharing and sharing and sharing.
6. Gej in his wisdom gave the militants contracts to protect the same pipelines they bursted to steal oil. Today it is a free for all siphoning. No more restrictions. The rate of spills in nigeria today is about the highest in recent times.

I could go on and on. Ateke recieves billions yearly frm the govt so am not suprised.
Amnesty was largely turned into an 'ijaw only' business. Even ateke is begging for development in the region. That means gej deviated frm the original plan. He did nothing to advnce the program beyong hand outs.

Gej's exit is like a blessing in disguise. What the niger delta need at this point is a leader who will stand his grounds to make sure most of the programs and policies on the region. Not one who will prefer to put perfum over shiit and allow the stench hibernate for a while.

God bless u brother.
This is the real issue on ground. This amnesty program has to be reviewed, firmly but with caution. The benefactors will do anything to keep the largess flowing. I've been to several places in the Niger delta and i can boldly tell u, the real people in need of this program are not getting a dim. Most benefactors are drunks. Most of them have gotten small cars they drive around blasting music and driving recklessly, i mean real recklessly. It is time the Niger Deltans rise and say No to this scam. The leaders in that region are just a bunch of thieves! They are super rich at the expense of the people they claim to fight for and treated as dons.

omonnakoda:
The amnesty rogramme should stop.If it is done transparently I will advocate every kobo of it should be put into the Delta.Yes there should be money for the DELTA but NOT for militants.I do not think the militants should be disrespected while it is happening but it has t stop.At any rate militant who was 35 in 2005 is now 45 the 10 year old is now 20 and would soon want to get paid. Are we also going to pay Shekau?

Dont mind them.
You are right this program has to end!
The FG must come up with a broader scheme that will touch more lives.