I’ll Leave With Jonathan On May 29 – Kuku

Chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Programme and special adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on the Niger Delta, Hon. Kingsley Kuku, has said that he has no intention of staying in office after his principal leaves office on May 29.

Kuku made this known yesterday in a statement while reacting to media reports that he is lobbying to retain his job under the incoming government of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, describing the report as speculative, highly provocative and that of the imagination of the writer.

The Amnesty Programme chairman said he was very proud to serve Nigeria under the outgoing administration of President Jonathan and that he is ready to leave with his boss on May 29, 2015.

“As a special adviser and chairman, Presidential Amnesty Programme, I served this country for four years and four months under President Jonathan. If it was an elected four-year term, the four months would have been a bonus.

“I am, however, proud of my achievements and for lifting the amnesty programme beyond what I met on ground. I’m leaving this office 200 per cent better than what I inherited. I, therefore, challenge my successor to better my record,” Kuku said.

Kuku stated further that such reports were the handiwork of political jobbers and spin-doctors who had become uncomfortable with his soaring profile and were doing everything to tarnish his image and discredit his record of service to the country.

Contrary to the report, Kuku said he had not met the All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain and former Bayelsa State Governor, Chief Timipre Sylva, since 2012 and that the last time he saw him was at a wedding in Port Harcourt in December 2014.

He also said he had not seen the former Head of Service of the Federation, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, since 2011 neither has he held any meeting with any APC chieftain as claimed in the report.

“On May 29, I will leave with President Jonathan. I will continue to focus on my peace and conflict resolution assignments, which this job has placed on my shoulders. I remain undeterred by those embarking on this smear campaign against my person in order to discredit the work we have done for this country. My advice to all those doing hatchet jobs, particularly for some persons in the Niger Delta, is for them to retrace their steps.

“I also advise the APC spokesman, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, to save his breath and his strength for the job ahead of him rather than responding to every illiterate comment,” Kuku said.