By Bukola Kolade
Indigenous contractors with the Presidential Amnesty Programme under the aegis of Niger-Delta Amnesty Vendors Forum, NDAVF, have refuted a media report of a N3.2 billion scam involving the coordinator, Professor Charles Dokubo.
The contractors said that the report was totally untrue and should be disregarded by the members of the public.
The vendors in a statement issued by their secretary, Eferebo Sylvanus, on Wednesday in Abuja said the development was a deliberate plot to tarnish Dokubo’s reputation.
They also warned detractors to desist from portraying the first lady, Mrs. Aisha Buhari and the National Security Adviser, Gen. Babagana Monguno as colluding with Dokubo to perpetrate the act.
“The publication also wrongly claimed that ‘the first Lady Aisha Buhari and the National Security Adviser, General Babagana Monguno are in collusion with Prof. Charles Dokubo on the fictitious scam.’
“The Presidential Amnesty Programme being interventionist and ad-hoc programme bothering on issues of national security and protection of critical national assets in the Niger Delta has this mandate by ensuring sustainable Peace in the Niger Delta. So it is not expected that the office will run a similar procedure with related government institutions of its kind in contracting and management.
“Therefore, publishing Vendors contract documents under process are not substantial enough to establish frivolous claims.
“The fact that all the companies listed are legitimate contractors who are citizens of Nigeria and the Niger Delta and are qualified contractors whose contracts like others followed a due process based on the procurement act and within the framework and limit on the office terms of reference for service.
“This claim is absurd, and part of a series of fake news spread and sponsored by those threatened by Prof. Charles Dokubo continuously rising profile and effectiveness to ensure transparency in the Amnesty Programme. It is a calculated attempt to tarnishing his image.
‘Amnesty Office Not Owing Ex-agitators Stipends, Allowances’.
“It is instructive to note that these lies intended to rubbish Prof. Charles Dokubo’s name recycled with more lies added to garnish the narrative, at a time the Amnesty Coordinator is making efforts to strengthen and sanitize the Amnesty Programme for the better.
“We urge the general public to utterly disregard the report”.
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