IPDI Defends Otuaro, Says No Previous PAP Administrator Has Matched His Reforms
By Tessy Ogbemi
WARRI — The Ijaw People's Development Initiative (IPDI) has thrown its weight behind the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), High Chief Dennis Otuaro, insisting that no previous head of the intervention programme has recorded reforms comparable to those being implemented under his leadership.
The group also cautioned individuals and groups allegedly behind what it described as sustained campaigns of blackmail and character assassination against the PAP Administrator to desist from actions capable of undermining ongoing reforms.
Speaking in a statement issued in Warri on Thursday, the National President of IPDI, Comrade Austin Ozobo, said Otuaro's administration had introduced far-reaching reforms that have repositioned the Presidential Amnesty Programme and improved the welfare of beneficiaries across the Niger Delta.
According to Ozobo, the PAP under Otuaro has prioritised the expansion of foreign scholarship opportunities, cleared outstanding scholarship obligations, ensured prompt payment of stipends, strengthened vocational and skills acquisition programmes, and accelerated the reintegration of ex-agitators into productive ventures.
"There is no record of any previous Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme that has surpassed the reforms being driven by Dr. Dennis Otuaro," Ozobo stated.
"From scholarship administration to beneficiaries' welfare and capacity-building programmes, he has demonstrated transparency, competence and a clear vision for repositioning the Amnesty Programme."
The group alleged that certain political interests were sponsoring media attacks and petitions against the PAP Administrator in a bid to frustrate his administration and derail ongoing reforms.
Describing the development as a "witch-hunt" and "pull-him-down syndrome," IPDI warned those behind the alleged campaign to stop what it termed acts of sabotage against a public official it believes is delivering on his mandate.
"Dr. Dennis Otuaro is not an enemy of the Niger Delta. He is a son of Delta State who is working diligently to improve the fortunes of the Amnesty Programme. He deserves support, not sabotage," Ozobo said.
The organisation maintained that constructive criticism should be based on verifiable facts rather than what it described as sponsored narratives intended to discredit the PAP leadership.
It also called on stakeholders across Ijaw, Itsekiri, Urhobo, Isoko and Anioma ethnic nationalities to close ranks in support of the Administrator, arguing that sustained backing would enable the region to maximise the benefits of the federal intervention programme.
"Federal appointments are limited. When one of our own is entrusted with such responsibility and is performing creditably, the appropriate response is to support him for the collective benefit of the Niger Delta," the statement added.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu appointed High Chief Dennis Otuaro as Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme in 2024. Since assuming office, his administration has pursued reforms aimed at strengthening accountability, expanding educational and vocational opportunities, and enhancing the reintegration of beneficiaries across the nine Niger Delta states.
