By Emma Sunday
A group known as the Phase One of Ex-agitators from the Niger Delta region have called for an end to continued blackmails and attacks on the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, PAP, Dr Dennis Otuaro.
Chairman of the First Phase of Ex-Agitators, HRH Henry Binidodogha, popularly known as General Egbeme one, and National Secretary and Public Relations Officer of the group, as well as Coordinators of Ex-agitators in the nine states of Niger Delta, made the call in a thirteen points press release made available to Daily Champion on Thursday.
The group said the call became necessary following a recent social media attack against Dr. Otuaro intended to blackmail the presidential amnesty Boss.
The statement reads; “We, the Leaders and Coordinators of the Phase One Ex-agitators, have decided to address you on the recent attacks in the social media and some sections of the mainstream media against the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Dr Dennis Otuaro.
“Our decision is sequel to the resolutions reached at the crucial meeting we convened today Thursday, November 7, 2024, here in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
“We state categorically that we take strong exception to the video circulated a few weeks ago in the social media by Jude which he claimed that the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Dr Dennis Otuaro, leaked a confidential document in the custody of the Department of State Service on former President Goodluck Jonathan.
“We observed that the content that digital material and other allegations against the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Dr Dennis Otuaro were also pushed into the mainstream media.
“It is our collective conviction that the allegations, including the one bordering on leaked DSS document and his attacks on Dr Dennis Otuaro in the social media and some section of the mainstream media were unfounded, untenable and unwarranted.
“We also believe strongly that Dr Dennis Otuaro did not know anything about the published document. The Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme does not work with the DSS. He therefore, cannot be accused of causing the purported document to be published.”
They called on all those bent on, or contracted to blackmail the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Dr Dennis Otuaro, and to distract him from performing his duties to desist and let him be, adding that he has made tremendous achievements since assuming the office.
“We, however, advise Jude and his ilk to embrace peace and desist from their nefarious activities that are not helpful to the peace and development of our region. We all owe it a duty to work together and support the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Dr Dennis Otuaro, to succeed for the sake of our region.”
“By now, it crystal clear to all that the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Dr Dennis Otuaro, has recorded a lot of achievements since assuming office in the past eight months. We are aware that he has brought the Programme home to the Niger Delta people and indeed all stakeholders for sustainable peace, security and development of our region.
“As a matter of fact, various critical stakeholders have commended Dr Dennis Otuaro for the noble reforms that his leadership had engendered at the Presidential Amnesty Programme to make the Programme more beneficial to all delegates and beneficiaries and our region.”
They however declared their support for the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Dr Dennis Otuaro. We have no doubt in our minds that as a product of the struggle, he understands the mandate of the Programme and the Niger Delta issues very well.
“We also applaud the Office of the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; and His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for their unwavering support for Dr Dennis Otuaro and the Presidential Amnesty Programme. We urge them to continue to give the necessary support to Dr Dennis Otuaro to enable him to achieve the Programme’s objectives.”
