Ijaw group defends PAP administrator, denounces smear campaign

The Ijaw Youth Network (IYN) has condemned what it described as “sponsored plots” aimed at discrediting the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) and its Administrator, Dr. Dennis Otuaro, vowing that such attempts will fail.

In a strongly worded statement signed by the group’s President, Frank Ebikabo, and Secretary, Federal Ebiaridor, the IYN dismissed recent allegations of mismanagement against Otuaro by a group called “Niger Delta Concerned Youths for Change,” describing the claims as baseless and malicious.

The IYN accused the shadowy group of being a tool in a wider smear campaign aimed at undermining the successes recorded by the current leadership of PAP.

They alleged that those behind the campaign are individuals who previously exploited loopholes in the programme for personal gain, which have now been blocked under Otuaro’s watch.

“Every other week, a new ghost group springs up with similar accusations, a pattern designed to harass and discredit a man whose only offence is his diligence, transparency, and love for the Niger Delta,” the statement read.

The group praised Otuaro for what they called a “remarkable transformation” of the PAP, noting his reforms had expanded scholarship and vocational training opportunities for ex-agitators and youths in the region.

“The Presidential Amnesty Programme under Dr. Dennis Otuaro has focused on youth empowerment, education, and skills acquisition — all geared towards human capacity development and sustaining peace in the Niger Delta.

His efforts align with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda,” the IYN stated.

The group also questioned the credibility of the accusers, describing the “Niger Delta Concerned Youths for Change” as fictitious and led by shadowy individuals, including a certain ‘Comrade Lion Ogorry.’

They further alleged that the attacks are indirectly aimed at embarrassing President Tinubu, who appointed Otuaro to revamp the amnesty initiative.

Calling on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other institutions to resist being drawn into political vendettas, the IYN urged Niger Deltans to rally behind Otuaro and protect the integrity of the Amnesty Programme.

“We say unequivocally: Leave Dr. Dennis Otuaro alone. He is doing an excellent job.

“The people of the Niger Delta — including ex-agitators, traditional leaders, and stakeholders — are solidly behind him,” the statement concluded.

The group also cautioned against ethnic bias in public discourse, noting that officials from other regions are not subjected to such sustained blackmail, and called for an end to what they described as a dangerous and divisive trend.