Delta Amnesty Crisis Deepens as PAPC Slams “Illegal” Bomadi Congress, Reaffirms Ogidigba’s Authority
By Wilson Macaulay
A fresh wave of tension has engulfed the Third Phase of Nigeria’s Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) following a strongly worded condemnation of a controversial factional congress held on April 19, 2026, in Bomadi Town.
In a decisive press statement that underscores growing concerns over internal cohesion within the programme, Gen. Markson Isere, popularly known as IJB, speaking on behalf of the Presidential Amnesty Programme Council (PAPC), denounced the gathering as unlawful, divisive, and a direct threat to the stability of the amnesty framework.
The PAPC leadership did not mince words in rejecting the outcome of the Bomadi meeting, which allegedly produced Mr. Preye Ekpebide as “National Chairman.” According to the Council, such a claim is not only misleading but fundamentally flawed, as it contravenes the established structure guiding the Third Phase of the programme.
Describing the development as “entirely unacceptable, null, and void,” Isere warned that Mr. Ekpebide must immediately desist from parading himself in any leadership capacity linked to the programme. He emphasized that the Presidential Amnesty Programme has no provision for tenure elongation or second-term leadership, thereby rendering any such claim illegitimate.
“The integrity of the Presidential Amnesty Programme must be protected at all costs,” Isere declared. “Any attempt to distort its leadership structure or create parallel authorities is a direct affront to the collective will of stakeholders and beneficiaries.”
The Council further expressed deep concern that such factional activities are not only eroding unity but also jeopardizing the welfare of genuine delegates and beneficiaries who depend on the programme for empowerment and reintegration.
Observers note that the Presidential Amnesty Programme, established in 2009 to stabilize the Niger Delta following years of militancy, has remained a critical instrument for peacebuilding, youth empowerment, and economic reintegration in the region. However, recurring leadership disputes and factional alignments have occasionally threatened its progress.
Reaffirming the legitimate leadership structure, the PAPC declared unequivocally that there is only one recognized National Chairman of the Third Phase Amnesty Programme—Gen. Ogidigba Gostime Ogidigba. The Council described his leadership as lawful, widely accepted, and firmly rooted in due process.
“There is no parallel leadership,” the statement stressed, warning that any individual or group promoting factional authority is engaging in actions capable of destabilizing the programme and undermining years of hard-earned peace in the Niger Delta.
In what appeared to be a final caution, the PAPC issued a stern directive to all dissenting elements to immediately abandon any form of factional alignment and align with the recognized leadership under Gen. Ogidigba.
“Continued defiance will not be taken lightly,” Isere warned. “It will be treated as a deliberate attempt to disrupt the peace, unity, and progress of the Presidential Amnesty Programme.”
Stakeholders across the Niger Delta are now watching closely as the situation unfolds, with many calling for restraint, dialogue, and strict adherence to established guidelines to prevent further escalation.
The latest development raises critical questions about internal governance, accountability, and the need for stronger institutional safeguards within the Amnesty Programme to preserve its mandate and sustain peace in the oil-rich region.
As tensions simmer, the message from the PAPC leadership remains clear and uncompromising: unity, legality, and respect for constituted authority must prevail over personal ambition and factional interests.
(DEMOCRACY NEWSLINE NEWSPAPER, APRIL 23RD 2026)
