National Chairman of Phase 2 of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, PAP, Amb. Kingsley Muturu, has condemned what he described as calumny and blackmail being perpetrated against the Administrator of the Programme, Dr. Dennis Otuaro by some “attention-seeking” individuals.

Muturu, who was House of Assembly candidate of APC for Bomadi constituency, Delta State, in the 2023 general election, said in a statement, that petitioning and blackmail had been an age-long plague in the amnesty programme that has made it difficult to make good progress in developing the programme and its beneficiaries.

He noted that no administrator, since the inception of the programme, had escaped “this dubious saga because there is a team of cankerworms always ready to attack whenever their greedy demands are not met.”

Muturu said: “It is so annoying that I already saw this attack coming because the positive bold steps the Administrator, Dr Dennis Otuaro, is taking, in undoing the wrongs inherent in the programme is deemed a big blow to the greedy petition trumpeters.

“The amiable Administrator just recently deployed a good number of delegates for a boot camp and refresher course in maritime-related skills as part of the programme’s manpower development scheme for the Niger Delta, along with several initiatives to restore parity and sanity in the programme.

“This alone is a pointer to the Administrator’s passion for the developmental mandate of the programme. A motion past Administrators squarely neglected. I was also affected and concerned about this.

“Quite surprisingly, the so called petitioners and blackmailers never raise such crucial issues of regional benefit, but busy with pecuniary acquisitions instead. I herewith beseech President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the NSA to beware of these attention-seekers calling for the unjustifiable sack of the PAP boss, Dr Dennis Otuaro.

“The Niger Delta youths that are quick to employ propaganda, do they mean to say they see no good development worthy of appreciation? These are problems that have been there for years before Dr Otuaro took the reins. And he’s doing the best he can to restore parity and sanity to the system by solving long neglected issues.

“It is noteworthy that Dr Otuaro was leading a comfortable life before ascending the administrative seat, and his noble lifestyle makes him more accessible than past administrators. I therefore charge you all to ask key questions, make witty observations void of bias, and turn a new leaf as that is the only way we can grow as a nation.

“If there be no ulterior motives, I implore each and of us to be diplomatic in resolving our grievances and put an end to this vicious pull-him-down syndrome which in no way bid well for the programme. Let us allow Dr Otuaro to continue with his good work.

“Dr Dennis Otuaro is clearly on the right track. He readily buys and works on good ideas. So we should protect him come rain or shine. I am hopeful he will do great.”

“I also use this medium to encourage the Administrator, Dr Dennis Otuaro, to do something about the abandoned training centres in Kaiama, Bayelsa state, Bomadi Delta state and other areas as this will greatly develop our region in creating skilled labour, entrepreneurs, as well as massive employment opportunities for the people.

“Past Administrations had turned a blind eye to this huge developmental strategy, but I strongly believe, with Otuaro, there shall be positive changes as we are firmly behind his good leadership style 24/7. I implore all concerned stakeholders to put hands on deck in supporting and ensuring this administration achieve its set goals as expected.”