N’Delta Enemies who want to return PAP to era of impunity fighting Dr Otuaro, -General Aroni

•Says Dr Otuaro Deserves Reappointment

By Monday Peters, Abuja

The National chairman of the First Phase Presidential Amnesty Programme Delegates Forum, Chief Hon. Aaron Oputu, alias general Aroni, has condemned calls for the removal of the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, PAP, Dr. Dennis Otuaro, describing those behind the campaign as “blackmailers and detractors” who are uncomfortable with ongoing reforms in the Niger Delta.

In a statement issued on Thursday in Warri, Aroni said Dr. Otuaro deserved a second chance to consolidate the gains recorded under his leadership of the Amnesty Programme.

He accused failed top rank leaders of the program behind sponsored media attacks against Dr. Otuaro, alleging that the blackmail was aimed at truncating the progress made in repositioning PAP for better service delivery to ex-agitators and Niger Delta youths.

“We have watched with dismay this orchestrated campaign of calumny against Dr. Dennis Otuaro, ” the statement read. “These blackmailers are the same people who benefited from the rot of the past. Now that due process, transparency and accountability have been introduced, they want him out.

“Let it be known that Dr. Otuaro deserves a second chance. In less than two years, he has restored dignity to the programme, cleared backlogs, and prioritized education, scholarship, training and empowerment over politics.”

Aroni listed some of the achievements it credited to Dr. Otuaro to include: payment of outstanding stipends to beneficiaries, expansion of vocational and scholarship slots, engagement of stakeholders across the 9 Niger Delta states, and zero tolerance for fraud in the programme.

He noted that for the first time in years, beneficiaries are receiving their entitlements directly without middlemen, a development it said has reduced tension in the region.

“Anyone calling for his sack is not speaking for the Niger Delta people. They are speaking for their pockets. Dr. Otuaro is the first administrator to carry all ethnic groups along without bias. That is why some people are uncomfortable,_” Aroni added.

He urged President Bola Tinubu and the National Security Adviser to disregard the “ sponsored attacks” and allow Dr. Otuaro to complete his reform agenda.

“The Niger Delta needs stability, not distraction. It is those who want to return PAP to the era of impunity that are fighting him” the statement further said.

Aroni also called on leaders, stakeholders and youths, and civil society groups in the region to rally support for the Amnesty boss and protect the peace being enjoyed in the creeks.

Recall, Dr. Dennis Otuaro was appointed Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme in 2024. Since his appointment, he has emphasised rehabilitation, reintegration, and empowerment as the core mandate of PAP.