July 22, (THEWILL) – The Third Phase Ex-Agitators of the Presidential Amnesty Programme have condemned a group styled Project Niger Delta (PND), over the latter’s attack on the President of Ijaw National Congress (INC), Prof Benjamin Okaba, following his visit and endorsement of the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Dr Dennis Otuaro.
The National Chairman of Third Phase PAP, Gen. Elaye Slaboh, while reacting to the PND attack on the leadership of INC in a statement in Yenagoa on Sunday, expressed dismay at the press statement of the Project Niger Delta (PND) leadership, Mr Princewill Timipre Ebebi, noting that the position being postulated by the PND is “self-seeking, and reckless craving for socio-cultural relevance”.
He pointed out that it behoves all NGOs, agencies, parastatals, groups and/or associations assemblages of the people of Niger Delta to work in concert where the need arises and not to go on a voyage of fault finding even in the place where non can be found or is nonexistent.
Slaboh said: “We as the leadership, ex-agitators and members of the Third Phase Presidential Amnesty Programme are not trying to play the devil’s advocate here but condemn the entire press statement of the PND with regards to the Professor Benjamin Okaba-led leadership of INC. Professor Okaba is our father and our leader. We revere and respect him and we would take an exception even on his behalf with such trifling matters.
“We are aware of the fact that the PAP (Presidential Amnesty Programme) is of the Federal Government of Nigeria our country which at the moment is ably under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the President reserves the right to appoint whoever he finds worthy to mount the leadership as an administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme and presently the office is being led and administered by the capable and qualified hands of Dr Dennis Brutu Otuaro who enjoys the appointment of the appointor presently, an appointment by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“The leadership of PND have ill-conceived and misconceived, misguided and misdirected their purpose towards Niger Deltans and have failed in the attempt to cause irrelevant in-fighting within leaders, groups, associations, assemblages, agents, and agencies of government in this attempt at putting acrimony, ill-will and ill feelings between Niger Deltans.
“They (PND) must pull down their recent press statement as the same is malicious, vexatious, capricious and unwarranted. We, the Third Phase (PAP) leadership vehemently warn anyone that intends to call for disaffection or ill feelings between Niger Deltans and also warn that anybody that instigates between leaders of the Niger Delta should desist from such acts of belligerent and divisiveness.
“The National Chairman Gen. Elaye Slaboh led leadership of the Third Phase Presidential Amnesty Programme consider the entire press statement as an attack on Dr Dennis Brutu Otuaro, and an attack on his office as Sole Administrator of PAP whether borne out of jealousy, envy or any other petty reason is disappointing as the office is an appointive one and not an elective office, where there could be contention as to who is the occupant of the said office because he is appointed, and being told to be.
“That Dr Dennis Otuaro is holding himself out, or is self-acclaiming is reprehensible, senseless, meaningless and baseless as we are aware he was appointed by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“On the issue of endorsement of the sole administrator by INC leadership. The Princewill Timipre Ebebi-led PND failed to appreciate the purpose and workings of an endorsement, who endorses what, and for what purpose? The office of the sole administrator is not for grabs and is not vacant and nobody can pretend to endorse or reject who the President has appointed save and except the President himself.
“This is largely misconceived, in essence, they do not know what they are talking about.
We like the peace Niger Delta is currently enjoying and we call for synergy between all relevant actors in the Niger Delta and of the Federal Government, NDDC, NCDMB, all multinationals, PAP, NDBRA, corporate organisations, Niger Delta leaders and all Niger Deltans need to synergise to be able to move the region forward.
“It is not our character to malign ourselves but to pull ourselves up. We call on all relevant authorities, to disregard the PNB’s recent publication as we condemn it in its entirety and we advise that they desist from such acts that can lead to division in the Niger Delta as it relates to PAP, INC or any other organisations, Association, assemblage or group.”
Amos Okioma is a Correspondent at THEWILL
