*Commends Pres. Tinubu for appointment
*Urges Otuaro to carry everyone along
By Victor Lewis
The appointment of High Chief Dr. Dennis Brutus Otuaro as the new Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, PAP,. has continued to attract support across the Niger Delta, the latest coming from an Ex-militant leader in the Niger Delta, Gen Ogailo Baba Ibori (aka Adaka Boro last Children).
Speaking with our correspondent in a telephone interview shortly after the announcement of the appointment of Gen. Ibori as the new Coordinator of the PAP, Gen. Ogailo Baba Ibori profoundly thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the appointment, adding that it was a square peg in a square hole.
It would be recalled that the appointment of Chief Dr. Dennis Brutus Otuaro for the office of PAP, as announced by President Tinubu’s Spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale last week ignited wild jubilation across the Niger Delta region with many citing the leadership quality of the new PAP’s helmsman as remarkable just as they vouched for his capability and credibility.
The Ex-militant leader also applauded the President for considering a technocrat for that critical office, adding that a new dawn is about to be birthed in the Programme just as he pledged an unflinching support for the new Coordinator.
Speaking from the background of the new PAP Coordinator, Gen Ibori expressed optimism that he will not discriminate among the participants in the Programme, pointing out that he will reposition it for the benefit of the people of the Niger Delta.
“I pray that Dr. Otuaro succeeds in his new office as he carries everyone along without discrimination. We know him as a man with great antecedents and records of service that are unblemished and that we expect him to replicate in his new office.
“We owe him our support and solidarity. These we shall give to him in abundance. Our desire is for him to change the ugly narratives of the programme from inefficiency to optimal productivity.
“Dr. Otuaro should pay scholarship, stipends, train and retrain our youths to be marketable in the labour market, unite beneficiaries by erasing the lines of divisions that he inherited from his predecessor and also remove the programme from the woods of failure,” Gen Ogailo Baba Ibori said.
It would be recalled that Gen. Ogailo Ibori emerged the Militant leader in Ondo after the death of his elder brother who died in a confrontation with the Nigerian military shortly before the declaration of Amnesty by the administration of late President Yar’Adua sometime in 2009.
Militants drawn from Ajapa in Ondo State participated in a disarmament in 2017 where assorted weapons were surrendered by hundreds of armed militants. However, after surrendering their arms, the Ex-militants were not considered for the Presidential Amnesty Programme until date.
Speaking with our correspondent on phone shortly after the appointment of Chief Dr. Otuaro as Coordinator of the PAP, an ex-general who also surrendered his weapons at the disarmament that took place in Ajapa, Gen. Silas disclosed that hundreds of Ex-militants who participated in the disarmament in Ondo State were not allowed to be part of the PAP.
He lamented that all previous Coordinators of the Programme refused to consider the Ex-militants from Ondo State, adding that although his father is from Delta, his mother is from Ajapa in Ondo State where he carried out his militancy.
Gen. Silas (as he is called) also urged the new Coordinator of the PAP, Chief Dr. Otuaro, who, according to him is from Gbaramatu in Delta State, should endeavour to integrate the Ex-militants from Ajapa Community under Ese-Odo.Local Govt. Area of Ondo State, in his new programme.
He further stated that High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, aka Tompolo was aware of the activities of the Ex-militants in Ondo, adding at a time he intervened to settle crisis in that area.
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