A group, the Ijaw Youths Network, has warned some alleged detractors of the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Dr Dennis Otuaro, to stop his denigration.
The Ijaw youths also urged Otuaro to ignore the alleged paid agents sabotaging his efforts to return the PAP to the Niger Delta.
The IYN said this in a statement issued by its President, Frank Ebikabo, and the Secretary, Federal Ebiaridor, on Wednesday, October 16, 2024.
The group said it was concerned about repeated attacks on the image of Otuaro by unscrupulous elements who it said did not mean well for the region.
According to the IYN, the insinuations and ill-fated attempts to link a purportedly leaked document in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) to Otuaro is a farce not worthy of attention from serious minds.
The group noted that the PAP office is neither an annexe nor an extension of the DSS office, adding that the security agency is one of the most effective and thorough in the country which has the capacity to uncover any such infraction involving the office.
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The IYN called on the people of the Niger Delta to condemn the plot against Otuaro by “a faceless group of greedy persons hiding under the hypocrisy of public concern to commit evil acts.”
The IYN added that Otuaro’s programmes since his appointment in March 2024 had shown that President Bola Tinubu made the right choice by putting a grassroots stakeholder in charge of the PAP.
The group said: “We urge those who are used to getting free monies from the Presidential Amnesty Programme through blackmail of leaders to desist.
“We commend Dr Dennis Otuaro for the productive interactions he has had with various segments of Niger Delta stakeholders such as traditional rulers, women and youth groups and ex-agitators.
“The people of the Niger Delta are waiting for the administrator to effectively utilize available resources, to make the PAP scholarship scheme more useful to the region.”
The Ijaw youths further enjoined the PAP boss to keep his focus on the goal of making a real impact in the region, saying failure cannot be an option.
The group noted that a recent report in which 21 prominent groups in the region declared support for Otuaro showed that he is doing the right thing and should sustain his legacy of success.
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