Ijaw Publishers’ Forum (IPF) has raised concerns over the 72-hour ultimatum issued by the House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Chief Dr. Dennis Brutu Otuaro, describing the move as hasty and capable of provoking unrest in the Niger Delta.
The Committee had threatened to issue a warrant of arrest after alleging that Otuaro failed to honour multiple invitations. But the IPF, in a press conference today and a statement jointly signed by its National President, Comrade Austin Ozobo, and General Secretary, Comrade Tare Magbei, urged the House to exercise restraint in applying its oversight powers under Sections 88, 89 and 128 of the 1999 Constitution.
The forum said the audit report predates Otuaro’s appointment by several years. Hence it was disturbing that the lawmakers were relying on the findings of a 2021 Amnesty Audit Report.
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According to the IPF, Otuaro assumed office in 2024, and therefore “cannot reasonably be held accountable for issues arising from an audit conducted long before his tenure began.”
The group questioned the motive behind invoking a 2021 report to scrutinise a 2024 appointee, describing the development as “misleading and suggestive of an ulterior political agenda.”
The group alleged that the ultimatum bears the “hallmarks of a sponsored attack” on an Ijaw technocrat who has distinguished himself in national service.
It stressed that the PAP is a special security intervention created under the exclusive mandate of the President, not the Legislature, and therefore requires sensitive handling.
The IPF commended the Administrator for what it described as significant gains recorded since he assumed office, including strengthened dialogue channels, improved relations among ex-agitators and host communities, and enhanced calm that has boosted national oil output.
“These achievements should attract commendation, not hostility,” the Forum said, warning that “isolating and harassing an individual who has helped stabilise the region raises serious questions about the intent behind the probe.”
The Forum also alleged a pattern of selective scrutiny by the House, claiming that figures who openly sympathise with terrorists and bandits in other regions have not been confronted with the same urgency.
It argued that the swift move against Otuaro; who it says has placed thousands of PAP delegates in schools and consistently engaged stakeholders, suggests a troubling pattern of aggression directed at Ijaw leaders and Niger Delta institutions.
The group warned that any attempt to arrest the PAP Administrator could inflame tempers among ex-agitators and destabilise the fragile peace in the oil-producing region.
It noted that the “only offence” attributed to Otuaro was his sanitisation of the PAP payroll; a step that allegedly cost some individuals illicit benefits and triggered sponsored protests and petitions.
The IPF accused certain ethnic groups of attempting to rebrand themselves as ex-agitators to retain benefits despite previously denying involvement in the Niger Delta armed struggle. It further alleged that these groups have historically opposed Ijaw development initiatives, including the creation of Delta State, Warri South-West LGA, the Maritime University in Okerenkoko, and the Tantita security contract.
The Forum said the current development fits a long-running pattern where “whenever peace takes root and oil production improves, some sectional interests attempt to destabilise progress.”
It vowed not to keep silent while the Ijaw image is “maligned under the guise of legislative oversight.”
The group urged the Legislature to prioritise pressing national crises, including insecurity, hunger, unemployment and collapsing institutions instead of “pursuing sensationalised probes” against an official whose work has contributed to national stability and increased revenue.
“The nation is burning,” the statement read. “The Legislature must not become an instrument for elements who do not mean well for Nigeria.”
IPF’s Demands
The Forum called on the House of Representatives to:
1. Withdraw its aggressive posture and ensure fair, unbiased oversight.
2. Avoid actions that may inflame tensions in the Niger Delta at a time the PAP is recording progress.
3. Prioritise national emergencies, including insecurity and rising cost of living.
4. End alleged selective harassment of Ijaw leaders and institutions in the region.
The statement concluded with a strong affirmation of support for the PAP Administrator.
“The IPF stands firmly with Chief Dr. Dennis Brutu Otuaro. We reject intimidation, selective justice and politically motivated persecution. Peace in the Niger Delta is a national asset, and it is flourishing under Otuaro’s stewardship,” the group said.
