The Ijaw People's Development Initiative, IPDI, a nongovernmental organization in the Niger Delta region, has termed as "inimical, mischievous, and divisive" calls by a coalition of civil society groups in the region for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to appoint a replacement for Dr. Dennis Otuaro as the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, PAP.

The call for replacement of the PAP Administrator is coming barely a month after the President Tinubu administration approved the appointment of Dr. Otuaro, who holds a PhD in Comparative Politics and Development Studies, an MSc in Public Administration, and a BSc in Education, and had previously served as a top-level executive of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.

Speaking on the development, IPDI's National President, Comr. Ozobo Austin, said the appointment of Dr. Otuaro as PAP Administrator is a square peg in a square hole, insisting that the appointment was not meant to suit any interest but was done at its merit, and as such President Tinubu and the NSA should ignore the activities of the group.

He also noted that Dr Otuaro is not only very much accessible and the right man for the job, but that his desire to reposition the Amnesty programme to benefit the delegates of PAP, should be embraced by all well-meaning stakeholders in the region.

In addition, the Delta-born activist alleged that there's no existing coalition of CSOs of such nature, adding that no responsible coalition would call for the replacement of the new amnesty administrator barely a month of his appointment, stressing that they were a huge disappointment if truly they are members of the region.

He further claimed that the purported coalition, led by "one Dennis Church Nako Francis spokesman, Elder Harrison Omini and others were hungry youth[s] sponsored by enemies to distract the new Amnesty Boss from implementing his good programmes and policies."

The IPDI Boss urged sponsors of the attack against the Amnesty Boss to spend their resources to feed the hungry youths they were inciting against their brother instead of wasting it to look for cheap and unpopular recognition through propaganda.

Comr. Ozobo urged PAP Administrator, Dr Otuaro, not to be distracted by enemies of the region that are sponsoring mischief against him, while appealing that he should go ahead in good spirits to reposition and implement his good policies and programmes for the region.

#penglobalcommunity #PAP