Staff, Lt. General Oladipo Diya (rtd) yesterday called on President Goodluck
Jonathan to implement the Oputa panel report that made startling findings on
past wrong doings with recommendations on what should be done to correct the mistakes
of the past.
Diya was one of the people recently granted state
pardon along with former governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha by
President Jonathan. His name was also said to have featured on the list of some
military officers earlier granted state pardon by the administration of Gen.
Abdulsalami Abubakar in 1998.
Speaking at a press conference held at his Ikeja
home on the state of the nation, Diya said: “I want to thank the president for
his kind gesture and to appeal to him to publish and implement the Oputa Panel
report. This was a panel set up by the Federal Government of Nigeria with state
fund and a report was submitted on it. A lot of findings and recommendations
were made most especially on the phantom coups of 1995 and 1997.”
Diya made a reference to a similar panel that was
set up in South Africa, known as Truth and Reconciliation Committee. The
implementation of the committee, he said, contributed tremendously in
stabilising and putting the country through the path of growth.
While promising to devote the rest of his life to
seek the unity and progress of Nigeria, Diya expressed gratitude to the past
and present Inspectors General of Police that have on their own volition been
providing him with security whenever he was going to any event.
He was full of gratitude for the pardon granted
all those involved in the 1997 coup saga, adding that he will never regret
serving in the administration of General Sani Abacha because it was a
government that brought together the best brains in the country. Diya said he
has forgiven all those who roped him into the 1997 phantom coup.
