PAP: Ogidigba Faults  Campaign of Calumny Against Dr Otuaro, Oporoza House, Urges Public to Disregard Kwalekeme, Others 

By Joseph Bienbo, Warri

The Leadership and chairman of the Third Phase Amnesty Delegates Forum, Gen Godstime Ogidigba has faulted recent publication by Cletus Kwalekeme containing allegations that he was allegedly kidnapped and poisoned by Chief Dennis Otuaro and the Oporoza House.

Ogidigba who doubled as a traditional Chief, stated, “We wish to state that Chief Dennis Otuaro, PhD, and the Oporoza House are too responsible and preoccupied with their legitimate affairs and the ongoing reforms within the Presidential Amnesty Programme to engage in such acts. We therefore urge the public to treat the allegations with caution and disregard what we consider to be unfounded claims.

“It is our position that some of those sponsoring what we regard as false allegations, blackmail and propaganda against Chief Dennis Otuaro are individuals affected by the ongoing reforms in the Amnesty Programme. Their grievances, we believe, arose after repeated attempts to persuade the Administrator to compromise the reforms and maintain practices associated with the old system failed.

“The ongoing reforms have reportedly addressed issues including bulk payments, multiple accounts allegedly linked to single BVNs, questionable contracts for the supply of accessories to the Amnesty Office, as well as alleged irregularities in training and empowerment contracts. These measures, in our view, are aimed at sanitising the programme, blocking leakages and repositioning it to better serve genuine Niger Delta beneficiaries.

“The reforms have also expanded opportunities for beneficiaries through scholarship and training programmes. More than 8,000 Niger Delta indigenes have reportedly been enrolled for scholarship and training programmes in universities and institutions within Nigeria and abroad, alongside leadership and stakeholders’ training, empowerment initiatives and other programmes designed to broaden the impact of the Amnesty Programme.

“We therefore urge members of the public to disregard what we consider to be false allegations and propaganda against Chief Dennis Otuaro and instead support genuine reforms aimed at sanitising the Presidential Amnesty Programme, eliminating alleged systemic abuses and ensuring that its benefits reach the intended Niger Delta beneficiaries”.