The leaders and beneficiaries under Phases 1, 2, and 3 of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) on Friday faulted the alleged call by a faceless group to sack Dr Dennis Otuaro as the PAP Administrator.
The ex-agitators also passed a vote of confidence on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the PAP Administrator for what they have been doing for the country at large and the beneficiaries of the Amnesty Programme in particular.
The Phase 2 National Chairman, Ibena Rufus Salvation, who spoke during a sensitisation and orientation programme for Niger Delta ex-agitators with the theme: “From Agitation to Aspiration: Harnessing Potential for Sustainable Growth in the Niger Delta,” commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing Otuaro as the PAP Administrator.
Ibena, who was also accompanied by the Phase 1 national spokesperson, T.Y. Excel; Phase 1 leader, Lucky Iziri; Phase 2 leaders, Stephen Okiemo and Seaman David, noted that in the history of the Amnesty Programme under nine different administrators over 14 years, nobody has done what Otuaro has done for the beneficiaries.
He said, “We have gathered here, leaders and beneficiaries of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, to appreciate Mr. President and again appreciate Dennis Otuaro for what he has been doing. He came to the office and found out that so many complaints were there from the beneficiaries and leaders. So, he looked into them critically and started solving them.
“I am a beneficiary; my camp and my followers have not been paid for over four years, meaning it is not me alone but every other person who had similar issues has been solved. Eighty per cent of the problems have been solved and other leaders and beneficiaries have been paid; that is why we are here to congratulate and appreciate Dennis Burutu Otuaro.”
“We want to use this medium to send a message to those who are making unnecessary publications to deviate from their character that the President and the National Security Adviser should disregard and ignore the faceless groups who are writing negative petitions against the administrator.
“We, the leaders and beneficiaries of the programme, are very happy with the coordination of Dennis Otuaro. It is on this note that we want to send a message to those behind the publication and petitions to deviate from their character; otherwise, the Niger Delta will consume them.
“We want to tell the President and the NSA that the Niger Delta people are happy with Otuaro, and we are very peaceful. We also want to commend the synergy and the working relationship between the administrator of the Amnesty Programme, Dennis Otuaro, and the chairman of Tantita, High Chief Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo, also known as Tompolo.
“We also want to use this opportunity to plead with Mr. President to release the office of the Amnesty Programme from the Single Treasury Account because it is not working for the office. The President and the NSA should know the Amnesty office is a security office; therefore, monies are supposed to be released quarterly to the office to enable the administrator to function properly.
“We are pleading with Mr President to release the office from the TSA system because the office has a lot of emergencies to tackle. We want to encourage the administrator that he should ignore and continue with the good work he is doing; he should not be bothered or distracted.”
ALSO READ THESE TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE