Renowned group, the Ijaw Youths Network (IYN) has strongly condemned the recent wave of baseless allegations against Dr. Dennis Otuaro, the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP).
In a statement on Saturday, signed by its President, Frank Ebikabo, and Secretary, Federal Ebiaridor, the IYN described the allegations as ridiculous.
The group questioned why a document that was released into the public domain several years ago, according to Edmund Ebiwari one of those arrested and sentenced following the 2010 incident could now be linked to the PAP administrator.
“We are inclined to believe that some disgruntled individuals are determined to tarnish the reputation of a person who has made significant efforts to reposition the PAP and make it truly effective.
“The Niger Delta is too sophisticated for a group of charlatans to mislead with misinformation,” the IYN stated.
The group asserted that a careful assessment of the repeated accusations shows that they could only have originated from a ludicrous mindset.
It emphasized that the PAP Office is not an extension of the Department of State Services, stressing that those working to link Otuaro to any leaked document were pursuing a mischievous agenda.
While urging security agencies to closely monitor the falsehood peddlers and their activities in the region, the IYN called on Otuaro to remain focused and not be distracted by his detractors.
The statement read in part, “As concerned Ijaw youths, we listened to a tape where Mr Edmund Ebiwari, who was among those arrested and jailed because of the 2010 incident, said that the document in question was released several years ago and had nothing to do with Dr Otuaro.
“Dr Otuaro as a leader is under no restriction to take photographs with any group of people in the Niger Delta. Whatever the group chooses to do with the photo is not his business. He is a public figure whose attention is given to all.
“After a thorough look at the recurring accusations, the IYN feels that the ridiculous accusations could only emanate from a ludicrous mind.
“It is a fact that the Presidential Amnesty Programme is not the custodian of confidential files of the DSS. The Presidential Amnesty Office is not an annex or extension of the DSS Office, and this cannot be controverted. It is inconceivable to think that the DSS would keep his classified documents with another agency.
“Those who have fought miserably to link the purportedly leaked document to the Presidential Amnesty Programme Administrator are heartless mischief makers who have shown themselves to be enemies of the Ijaw nation.
“The DSS, a highly reputable organization with immeasurable capacity for discreet investigation, does not need unsolicited sympathies from minions of detractors in the region.
“We call on security agencies to put a tab on this dangerous characters and their activities in the Niger Delta.
“We also call on Dr Dennis Otuaro to be focused on his mission to pilot the affairs of the PAP to greater heights. That he has started well is no news to anybody in the Niger Delta.
“He cannot afford to dissipate energy to dignify the hoodlums with attention that should go to important business of governance.
“While the IYN encourages our people to carry out constructive criticism, we advise against the tendency to pull down those in strategic positions even when they are doing excellently in their various position.
“The NCSG, a fictitious body appears to have been set up purposely to write petitions and make false claims against the person and administration of Dr Otuaro, who is turning out to be the best Amnesty administrator since the body was set up.
“In its latest rants in the media, the NCSG made several wild claims. One of these was that Dr Otuaro was responsible for the leaking of what it called confidential documents. Another was the allegation of financial malfeasance in the PAP office, and finally that Dr Otuaro was partial to his Gbaramatu community in the award of scholarships.
“Of course, the group did not supply one proof to support any of these wild and fictitious claims. And even though its claims were a rehash of past ones that have been proven to have no basis, the NCSG went ahead to circulate the lies.
“It thus appears to us that groups like the NCSG have been set up deliberately to distract the PAP Administrator by making spurious claims against him in the media. Their strategy is to repeat the lies until they stick.
“As a major Niger Delta stakeholder group, we condemn these tactics and the attempt to distract the very able Amnesty Boss. We commend Dr Otuaro for the various initiatives he has implemented and the high standards he has brought to the Programme. He is a round peg in a round hole and a proud Niger Delta son.” The IYN added
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