Ijaw Youth Leader calls for 'decisive security response' to Protesters at NASS over PAP
By Ezekiel Kagbala
The Deputy President of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Comrade Frank Akiefa has stoutly condemned a recent protest staged at the premises of the National Assembly in Abuja by those he labelled as "sponsored elements" who were merely seeking for the sacking of the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Dr. Dennis Otuaro for parochial interests.
Akiefa demanded for "a decisive security response to the ill-motivated protest" since, according to him, "the organisers were only trying to undermine the efforts of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration and the ongoing positive initiatives of the PAP".
These were contained in a statement personal signed by Comrade Akiefa, copies of which were made available to journalists in Warri on Friday.
Akiefa, who is a Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Delta State on Security pointedly accused the protesters of "attempting to blackmail the government and disrupt the peace in the Niger Delta region".
"Such actions are detrimental to the progress and stability of the Niger Delta, he reiterated.
Akiefa emphasized the imperative of constructive and peaceful advocacy rather than disruptive protests to the National Assembly.
"Blocking the National Assembly, which is a critical institution where laws are made and policies are debated, is the height of criminality being perpetuated by those who styled themselves as Niger Delta Liberators and Ex-Agitators Forum (NDLEF) who are bent on creating an environment of hostility", he posited.
Akiefa's statement partly reads, "The recent protests at the National Assembly are nothing but a calculated attempt to destabilize the government and discredit the good work being done by President Tinubu and Chief Otuaro to reposition the Amnesty Programme.
"We cannot allow a few individuals, motivated by personal gain, to hold the nation hostage.
"I call on our security agencies to take immediate action against these sponsored protesters to restore order and protect the integrity of our democratic institutions.
"The protests were reportedly fueled by grievances related to the award of contracts, which they claimed were awarded to other companies.
"The Presidential Amnesty Programme has been a critical initiative aimed at addressing the socioeconomic challenges faced by the Niger Delta region".
The statement continued, "It is pertinent to clarify erroneous impressions to further make it clear that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has no business taking the blackmailers of President Tinubu and Dennis Otuaro seriously.
"For the records, there is nothing to investigate about Dennis Otuaro's administration of the Amnesty Programme.
"The senseless blackmailers, who call themselves all sorts of names, claimed that they were protesting against Tinubu's delay in firing the PAP administrator, Otuaro, while at the same time calling on President Tinubu and the National Assembly to conduct a thorough investigation into the complaints lodged against PAP and its leadership. This is a contradictory, childish, and unparalleled absurdity.
"Some persons who wanted Dennis Otuaro to award contracts to their companies are just coming up with all sorts of baseless allegations that some persons were favored over them. All the protests and blackmail were arranged to protect selfish interests, which shouldn't have led to blocking the National Assembly complex.
"No one has a monopoly of protest; if the government does not arrest those blackmailers, we will have no option but to embark on a counter-protest in solidarity with President Tinubu and Dennis Otuaro".
