PAP: Put Niger Delta Above Personal Differences, Ogidigba Tells Amnesty Leaders – Independent Newspaper Nigeria

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The National Chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) Phase 3, Gen. Godstime Ogidigba, has urged leaders and delegates of the programme to place the collective interest of the Niger Delta above personal differences and grievances.

Ogidigba appealed to the leaders to drop their anger, embrace dialogue and work towards unity in order to preserve the peace and stability achieved in the oil-rich region.

He particularly called on the “Big Five” leaders of the Amnesty Programme to close ranks and convene a stakeholders’ meeting where all issues concerning the programme could be discussed and solutions collectively developed.

The appeal, according to Ogidigba, became necessary because the Niger Delta could not afford to allow avoidable disagreements to threaten the peace painstakingly built over the years.
He recalled the enormous contributions and sacrifices made by leaders and stakeholders across the region towards achieving the current atmosphere of stability.

Ogidigba said those sacrifices should not be undermined by disagreements that could be resolved through dialogue.
“As we cannot afford to carelessly gamble with the collective efforts, contributions and sacrifices by the leaders and stakeholders of the region to achieve the current stability, peace and security being enjoyed in the Niger Delta region,” he said.

He described peace as priceless and appealed to traditional rulers, opinion leaders and political leaders to urgently intervene in the matter.
The PAP chairman urged the elders and political stakeholders to use their influence to bring the parties together and encourage meaningful dialogue.

According to him, the objective should not be to determine winners and losers but to safeguard the future of the Presidential Amnesty Programme and the wider interests of the Niger Delta.
Ogidigba said an all-inclusive stakeholders’ meeting would provide an opportunity to resolve outstanding issues and build a stronger framework for the programme going forward.

He reiterated his call for unity, saying the region would be stronger when its leaders worked together rather than against one another.
“United we stand and divided we fall,” he stated.