By Amos Odhe, Yenagoa
Loyalists of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and youths from the Niger Delta region have raised an alarm over “plans by some politicians and presidential aides to embarrass and mock the duo of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), His Excellency, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike CON, Alhaji Majid Asari Dokubo and other Tinubu loyalists in the region over the appointment of Chief Dennis Otuaru, a cousin to former militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo also known as Tompolo who publicly fought against the emergence of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as president in February 2023.”
These Tinubu loyalists, made up of politicians, traditional rulers, youth groups, and ex-militant leaders said “despite the boastful posture by these anti-Tinubu elements before and after the presidential elections, the decision by the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, the chief of staff to the president, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila and other scrupulous politicians, including some compromised security personnel to throw up the name of Chief Dennis Otuaru, Tompolo’s cousin and their second choice candidate Brig. Gen. Efe Edafioghor (rtd.) is unacceptable and against the known loyalty of Chief Nyesom Wike, Alhaji Majid Asari Dokubo and other Tinubu loyalists across the Niger Delta region.”
Spokesperson of the group, Chief Godwin Eredojhe, in a statement in Warri, Delta State, issued via electronic mail, warned that the “sponsored choice of Chief Dennis Otuaru or their second choice candidate Brig. Gen. Efe Edafioghor (rtd.) to take over from the current Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Gen. Barry T. Ndiomu (rtd) is against the call by President Tinubu’s loyalists and stakeholders from the region who had demanded for a substantive administrator to be chosen from leaders from the region who worked for President Tinubu before and during the election.”
According to Chief Godwin Eredojhe, “we are worried that those throwing up their choice of Chief Dennis Otuaru, Tompolo’s cousin as replacement of Maj. Gen. Barry T. Ndiomu (rtd) have allegedly been compromised and are out to shame the likes of Nyesom Wike, Alhaji Majid Asari Dokubo and thousands Tinubu loyalists in the region.
“How will they even think about putting Tompolo’s cousin as Presidential Amnesty boss? These people boasted before the election that they were against the choice of former Governor Nyesom Wike and Asari-Dokubo. They boasted in numerous publications made by the Oporoza House, Gbaramatu Kingdom in Tompolo’s community that they have spent over $30 million dollars in support of Tinubu’s opposition.
“Before the Presidential election, these anti-Tinubu elements under various groups such as Tompolo’s Oporoza House, Ijaw Stakeholders Working group, the Niger Delta Industrial Re-Birth publicly rejected President Tinubu in publication in various print and online mediums in February, 2023. It is shocking that these same people are now paying their way and bribing presidential aides to secure juicy appointments under the Tinubu administration.” Click to view the links to a few of their publications: https://www.naijanews.com/2023/02/24/ex-niger-delta-militants-pick-referred-presidential-candidate-dump-asari-dokubo/?amp=1 and https://www.tori.ng/amp/228366/exniger-delta-militants-dump-asari-dokubos-preside.html and https://www.akahinews.org/ex-niger-delta-militants-dump-asari-dokubos-presidential-candidate-announce-preffered-candidate/
“This Oporoza House has also boasted that it does not matter that they did not work for President Tinubu but that they have enough money to spend and secure needed appointments and jobs. They claimed that Tinubu supporters don’t have money and that they have the funds to manipulate appointments. This is why we are urging those presidential aides and politicians involved not to put Wike, Asari Dokubo, and other leaders that worked for the President to shame.
“We urge President Bola Tinubu to stop empowering those that worked against him. He should focus on empowering those that worked for him. He has nominated ministers, but that is not enough. There are thousands of supporters across the country that worked for him.
“You can’t give such office like the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) that has the capacity to control thousands of battle-tested ex-militants and youths across six (6) states to people that fought against you in order to support your opposition, simply because some presidential aides and politicians have been paid off.
“Tinubu should not listen to anyone who presents the names of Chief Dennis Otuaru or their second choice candidate Brig. Gen. Efe Edafioghor (rtd.) as a replacement to the Interim Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme. He should know that they have been compromised. Instead, he should choose from the list of leading ex-militant leaders that worked for him or choose from the list of retired Military officers from the region to manage the Presidential Amnesty Office, ” he said.
