The Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Dr Dennis Brutu Otuaro, has urged former agitators in the Niger Delta to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s bid for a second term in the 2027 presidential election.
Otuaro said continued support for the President was in the strategic interest of the Ijaw people and the wider Niger Delta region, stressing that unity among stakeholders was necessary to protect the region’s interests.
He spoke at the weekend when a delegation of former agitators visited him in Abuja and commended the reforms being implemented under his leadership.
The PAP Administrator appealed to the ex-agitators to avoid division and work together to mobilise support for Tinubu ahead of the election.
“My appeal to our Ex-agitators is that nothing should divide us; 2027 is already here. Let us back the President and mobilise for him to win a second term.
“We should not allow anybody to cause division among us or trade us for a new hope. It is within our strategic national interest to support the President to secure victory,” he said.
Otuaro also commended the former agitators and other stakeholders in the region for their support for the PAP’s peacebuilding efforts.
He said their cooperation had contributed to efforts to maintain peace and stability in the Niger Delta, while describing the reforms being implemented by the programme as important to the future of young people in the region.
“Their support and cooperation have been massive and encouraging, working together with the Office to sustain peace and stability, and the generations we are preparing for a greater tomorrow in the Niger Delta through huge scholarships,” he stated.
According to him, the PAP has expanded its scholarship programme and increased the number of beneficiaries studying in Nigerian and foreign universities.
Otuaro disclosed that about 8,700 beneficiaries are currently enrolled in institutions within Nigeria, while more than 270 others have been sent to universities outside the country.
He added that 93 beneficiaries were deployed to institutions in January and May, while another 150 were scheduled to be sent abroad in August and September.
The PAP boss said the education and empowerment initiatives were part of efforts to equip young people in the region with the skills and qualifications required to contribute to its development.
He further stated that President Tinubu and the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, were pleased with the progress being made in sustaining peace in the Niger Delta.
Otuaro urged all stakeholders to remain committed to peace, saying the stability achieved in the region should not be taken for granted.
He said sustaining peace was not the responsibility of government alone, but required the cooperation of former agitators, community leaders, youth groups and other stakeholders.
Earlier, the National Chairman of the PAP Phase Leaders Forum, Ibena Rufus Salvation, said the delegation visited Otuaro to acknowledge what he described as the achievements recorded by the programme under his leadership.
Salvation particularly praised the PAP’s education and empowerment initiatives, saying they had provided opportunities for thousands of Niger Delta youths to acquire education and skills locally and internationally.
The delegation also commended Otuaro for what it described as prudent management of PAP resources and his commitment to improving the welfare and future prospects of beneficiaries.
