The Niger Delta Coalition Group has dismissed recent allegations of corruption and mismanagement against the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, PAP, Dr. Dennis Otuaro, describing them as baseless, malicious, and politically motivated.
Speaking during a joint media briefing in Abuja, in reaction to a call for an EFCC probe by a group identified as Niger Delta Concerned Youths for Change, the coalition’s spokesperson, High Chief Comrade Preye Ebizimor, said those behind the allegations were individuals who had lost access to the privileges they previously enjoyed.
He said, “We strongly reject the reckless, false, and unsubstantiated accusations being peddled against Dr. Otuaro by self-seeking actors bent on derailing the renewed progress the Amnesty Programme is recording,” he said.
“These allegations are nothing more than a manifestation of pull-down syndrome by individuals who no longer enjoy the unrestricted access and patronage they were used to in the past.”
He noted that under Dr. Otuaro’s leadership, the Amnesty Programme has improved reintegration efforts and strengthened peaceful coexistence among ex-agitators and host communities.
According to him, the Programme has also expanded its empowerment scope to accommodate other impacted groups beyond those originally captured, offering them access to vocational training, formal education, entrepreneurship support, and community-based empowerment.
Also speaking, Community leader, Bayelsa State, Chief Clara Ebiwei, described the PAP Boss’s administration as transparent and professional.
“Dr. Otuaro has restored purpose, professionalism, and transparency to the Amnesty Programme. He is not running a personal empire; he is rebuilding an institution vital to the peace and future of our region,” she said.
The coalition warned against politicising the Programme, adding that such actions could jeopardise the fragile peace that has been built over the years.
“The EFCC is not a tool for political vendettas. If anyone has evidence of wrongdoing, the law provides channels for redress not media trials or populist blackmail,” Ebizimor added.
They called on all stakeholders, sons and daughters of the Niger Delta, to unite and support the ongoing transformation of the Amnesty Programme under Dr. Otuaro’s leadership.
“This is not the time to tear down but to build up. We urge the misguided elements behind these attacks to redirect their energy towards productive engagement. The future of the Niger Delta is bigger than personal grievances,” the group said.
The coalition of civil society organisations, youth leaders, traditional stakeholders, and advocacy groups are from across the Niger Delta Region.
