Former leaders of the National Association Of Presidential Amnesty Students (NAPAS) comprising beneficiaries have taken exception to what they termed repeated and recycled lies against the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Dennis Otuaro, by some unscrupulous elements hiding under the cloak of ‘stakeholders’.
The group stated this in a statement on Sunday signed by the immediate past President of NAPASA, Patrick Ipidei, while reacting to the recent activities of a fictitious group, Niger Delta Liberators and Ex-Agitators Forum (NDLEF).
Ipidei said that Presidential Amnesty beneficiaries are known and documented and do not include those in the age bracket of 17 who were seen carrying placards to peddle falsehood in the Abuja protest.
Condemning the activities of the so called NDLEF, the former students said, “We have watched with shock the repeated attack on the person of the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme by some self-acclaimed stakeholders of the PAP.
“While we are not against constructive criticism of any public office holder in the Niger Delta, we are appalled by the antics of a so called new group, Niger Delta Liberators and Ex-Agitators Forum, which assembled a group of Bwari residents to protest against the leadership of PAP on Wednesday.
“As beneficiaries of the PAP scholarship and as stakeholders, we have observed the 10-month leadership of Dr. Dennis Otuaro and we are convinced of his deliberate steps to reposition the PAP for greater productivity.”
The group pointed out that since taking over the leadership of PAP, Otuaro had been working with his usual passion for the region’s development, stressing that he had not departed from the objectives of making the programme more responsive and effective in peace sustenance in the Niger Delta.
They noted that it had become very clear to all reasonable people that the attacks on Otuaro were being sponsored by his blackmailers with selfish intent, adding that the recurring situation where some persons were sponsored to blackmail successive leaders of PAP must stop.
While commending President Bola Tinubu and the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, for taking the appropriate decision to appoint Otuaro, they called on security agencies to investigate the so called NDLEF, their sponsors, and motive.
Ipidei said that the PAP administrator had done very well in the past 10 months and should not be distracted by blackmailers.
The statement added: “Dr Dennis Otuaro has recently concluded the deployment of 1,700 students under the PAP scholarship scheme. We are aware that this exercise is one of the most holistic and transparent since the programme commenced the scholarship scheme.
“This particular Administrator has taken over pilots undergoing training, and initiated others under the vocational training unit of the agency. Payment of stipends to our members across the region had been smooth. We have not had it any better.
“We are also aware of the various productive engagements with critical stakeholders, involving the delegates of the various phases, traditional rulers, youth leaders, women groups and others to deepen peace in the Niger Delta.
“We therefore call on Dr. Dennis Otuaro to be resolute and ignore groups whose motive is to distract him from the set goals of his administration and create the impression of crisis in the region.
“We feel that the recurring situation where faceless groups are sponsored to blackmail successive leaders of the PAP for selfish reasons should stop.
“We also commend the President and the Office of the National Security Adviser for making the right decision to appoint Dr. Dennis Otuaro to lead the PAP.
“We call on security agencies to investigate the so-called Niger Delta Liberators and Ex-Agitators Forum and their leaders who have sustained cyberstalking against the leadership of PAP.”
