The National Vice Chairman of Phase Three of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Letugbene, has commended the efforts of PAP Administrator, Dr. Dennis Otuaro, for repositioning the programme for greater effectiveness and impact.
Speaking on Tuesday during a Niger Delta youth parley in Yenagoa, Letugbene praised Otuaro’s performance since his appointment by President Bola Tinubu, citing improvements in regular stipend payments, skill acquisition training, and scholarship opportunities. He described Otuaro as a seasoned technocrat and a visionary administrator with a solid track record in public service.
He also lauded President Tinubu for appointing Otuaro, whom he described as a pragmatic and charismatic leader known for his innovative approach to governance.
Addressing recent allegations of misappropriation of ₦50 billion, contract awards to defunct companies, and money laundering leveled against Otuaro by a group known as the Niger Delta Liberators and Ex-agitators Forum, Letugbene dismissed the claims as false and unsubstantiated. He said the allegations were designed to distract the PAP boss from his duties.
Letugbene alleged that the convener of the group, Comrade Odey Otunu, is not a beneficiary of the amnesty programme and was being used by a disgruntled cabal previously benefitting from loopholes within the system. He credited Otuaro for blocking such leakages and redirecting funds toward the welfare of genuine beneficiaries.
He further criticized Otunu for not carrying out due diligence under the Freedom of Information Act, pointing out that an external auditor had recently given a positive review of PAP’s financial management, praising the Otuaro-led administration for transparency and accountability.
“In the past year, we’ve seen countless petitions from faceless groups and individuals. Even this group and its convener, Comrade Otunu, are relatively unknown in the Niger Delta. It’s unfortunate that they’ve chosen to resort to propaganda simply because they were not appointed to the office,” he said.
Letugbene emphasized that beneficiaries across the region have continued to receive their stipends promptly and acknowledged the numerous efforts by Otuaro and his team to improve the programme.
He called for such baseless petitions to be discouraged and urged federal authorities, including the NSA, the IGP, and the EFCC, to act against groups attempting to discredit the PAP boss.
He reaffirmed his confidence in Otuaro’s leadership, highlighting the administrator’s commitment to international best practices in contract awards and a renewed focus on empowering ex-agitators to become self-reliant.
Letugbene concluded by calling on all stakeholders in the Niger Delta—state governors, traditional rulers, opinion leaders, women, youth groups, and ethnic-based organizations—to rally around Otuaro to ensure the continued success of the amnesty programme.
