PAP: Leave Otuaro Alone, Allow Delta Enjoy Its Turn of Representation – IPDI Warns Detractors
Prominent Ijaw leaders, civil society organisations, and youth stakeholders in Delta State have called for an end to what they described as unnecessary attacks and distractions against the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), High Chief Dennis Otuaro, PhD.
In a statement signed by the President of the Ijaw Peoples Development Initiative (IPDI), Comrade Ozobo Austin, the group said the Niger Delta, particularly Delta State, deserves stability and uninterrupted support while one of its sons Dr Otuaro occupies a strategic federal position as administrator.
According to the statement, Otuaro’s appointment by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu provides Delta State with a rare opportunity to contribute meaningfully to federal policies and programmes in the post-amnesty era.
“High Chief Dennis Otuaro is more than an individual; he represents Delta Ijaw, the Niger Delta, and a generation that struggled for inclusion and development. For once, let Delta enjoy its turn of representation without internal sabotage or politically motivated witch-hunts,” the statement read.
The group maintained that since assuming office, Otuaro has focused on the prompt payment of stipends to beneficiaries, clearance of scholarship backlogs, expansion of vocational training programmes, and the reintegration of ex-agitators into society.
IPDI urged critics to engage constructively by presenting verifiable facts rather than resorting to what it described as media trials and propaganda, insisting that increase of delegates stipend remained a sole business of the presidency.
The organisation further appealed to political actors and stakeholders to allow Otuaro concentrate on his responsibilities, stressing that his success would translate into greater benefits for Delta State and the wider Niger Delta region.
“Leave Otuaro alone so Delta can consolidate its gains in the Presidential Amnesty Programme, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), and other interventionist agencies. Allow Delta to enjoy its turn of representation. When our turn is over, others will have theirs,” the statement added.
The group clarified that the “Leave Otuaro Alone” campaign is not intended to deny any individual or state access to opportunities, but rather to safeguard Delta State’s legitimate right to representation and ensure that internal divisions do not undermine the benefits accruing to the state.
