The Association of Presidential Amnesty Students worldwide has denied the rumoured replacement of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) with a pipeline surveillance contract recently awarded to some persons in the Niger Delta region by the federal government.
This followed the rumours making the rounds in the region that the federal government intends to replace the pipeline surveillance contract or terminate the programme, a situation that has raised tension in the region.
President of the Association of Presidential Amnesty Students worldwide, Comrade Patrick Ipidei, while speaking with newsmen yesterday in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, described the rumour as unfounded, malicious and fabricated meant to whip up sentiments ahead of the forthcoming general elections.
Although the federal government recently awarded a multi-billion Naira pipeline surveillance contract to ex-Niger Delta warlord, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo aka Tompolo, the students said such a contract does not amount to the replacement of the programme.
Ipidei cautioned stakeholders against unguided utterances and the spreading of rumours that can destroy public confidence in the ability of the newly appointed Interim Administrator of the programme, Maj. Gen. Barry Tariye Ndiomu (rtd).
