- From Godwin Chukwuedozie, Yenagoa
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Bayelsa State and the South South Coordinator of The Asiwaju Group, TAG, Pastor Reuben Wilson has stated unequivocally that Mr. Joshua MacIver was amongst the first set of Ex-agitators who accepted the Presidential Amnesty Programme that met late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua at the Presidential Villa, Abuja in 2009.
Pastor Reuben Wilson who also doubles as the Founder of the Pastor Reuben Initiative for Good Leadership and Accountability, PRIGLA a support group in the APC clarified that Joshua MacIver was amongst the Ex-agitators who were led by Mr. Ebikabowei Victor -Ben aka Boyloaf to meet with the late President and was thereafter duly enlisted in the programme as a First Phase Beneficiary of the scheme.
Pastor Reuben Wilson in a statement he personally signed and made available to newsmen in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital said Joshua MacIver and his camp members have been receiving the monthly stipend from the Amnesty Office from the inception of the programme till date, insisting that his camp had been participating actively in all programmes of the Presidential Amnesty Programme till date and there has not been issues concerning regarding his status as a beneficiary.
He expressed shock over claims by the current Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Maj. Gen. Barry Ndiomu (Rtd) that there is no evidence whatsoever which suggest that Joshua MacIver’s is a beneficiary of PAP, saying that such claim is at best worrisome and and call to question the safety and sanctity of the PAP data base of beneficiary.
The statement reads: “I wish to use this medium to emphatically affirm that Mr Joshua Maciver is a genuine first phase beneficiary of the Presidential Amnesty Programme. He was among the first set of Ex-Agitators who accepted the Presidential Amnesty Programme that met with late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua at the State House, Presidential Villa, Abuja in 2009.
“We were led by Mr Ebikabowei Victor-Ben (a.k.a.Gen.Boyloaf) in our meeting with the late President Yar’Adua, were all the Ex-Agitators in that meeting, the Great Joshua Maciver, accepted the Presidential Amnesty Programme and thereafter, were duly enlisted in the programme as the First Phase beneficiaries of the programme.
“The Great Joshua Maciver was in fact, the first Ex-Agitator in Bayelsa State that left the creeks to embrace peace and the Presidential Amnesty Programme.He is even ahead of me in hierarchy, with respect to the Niger Delta Struggle that led to the proclamation of the Presidential Amnesty Programme.
“I’m deeply worried by the claim of the Interim Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme because it’s becoming very obvious that some persons have tampered with the original documents of the Presidential Amnesty Office and are manipulating same to advance their selfish and political interests.
“From all indications the current Presidential Amnesty Coordinator seems to be working for the interest of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa State and is therefore, doing everything to give undue advantage to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming Bayelsa State Gubernatorial election, slated for the 11th of November, 2023.
“This is owing to the fact that Mr Joshua Maciver is the Deputy Gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the above-stated election and some persons want a repetition of what happened to the All Progressives Congress in the 2019 Bayelsa Gubernatorial election so that they can hold on to power in the state through the back door.
“I’m therefore, calling on the National Security Adviser to suspend the Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme immediately from office and probe the circumstances surrounding his claims against Mr Joshua Maciver. The National Security Adviser should probe his claims and ensure that the truth prevails in this matter.
“The Presidential Amnesty Programme was the brainchild of His Excellency,Chief Timipre Sylva, the former Governor of Bayelsa State and the current Gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 11th November, 2023 Bayelsa State Gubernatorial election. Chief Timipre Sylva initiated and designed the Presidential Amnesty Programme and presented it to late President Yar’Adua who saw the viability and the relevance of the programme and gave his approval.
“The Presidential Amnesty Programme was thereafter proclaimed and established by the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s administration .Chief Sylva knows the details of all the first phase beneficiaries of the Presidential Amnesty Programme because he was at the centre of the activities that led to the establishment of the programme.
“Furthermore, from the actions of people like the Interim Administrator against the All Progressives Congress (APC) that appointed him, it is very obvious that it’s not in the best interest of the ruling party to be appointing into sensitive offices persons who are loyal to opposition political personsparties. Such use their positions to advance the interest of their parties at the expense of the ruling party.
“I’m therefore,using this medium to also respectfully call on His Excellency, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and National Leader of the All Progressives Congress to appoint only patriotic and loyal members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) into sensitive offices in order to protect the interest of the ruling party at all times.”
