Ex-Delta Assembly Candidate, Enetimi Backs Otuaro As PAP Administrator

A foremost Ijaw youth leader and former candidate of Burutu II constituency of Delta State House Assembly on the platform of All Progressives Congress APC, Hon. Enetimi Biriala Government, has said the appointment of Dr. Dennis Brutu Otuaro as Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) by President Bola Tinubu is a step in the right direction.

Otuaro who was appointed last month replaces Interim Administrator of the PAP, Maj. Gen. Barry Ndiomu (retd.), who was appointed by former President Muhammadu Buhari on September 15, 2022.

Speaking with newsmen in his Abuja home on Sunday, Hon. Enetimi said the choice of Otuaro by President Tinubu is a demonstration of his commitment to douse the agitation in the Niger Delta region.

He faulted claim by the Coalition of Civil Society Organizations from the Niger Delta region that Otuaro was not qualified for the appointment, saying it is a claim made in bad faith.

He insists that Dr. Otuaro has both academic and technical qualifications to hold the highly exalted position he is occupying, a post that plays critical role to bringing stability to aid economic activities in the oil-rich Niger Delta from where a large chunk of the nation's resources comes from.

He said, "Those saying that Dr. Otuaro is not qualified to be the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) are saying so not in good, but bad faith. I can tell you he is duly qualified.

" This is a man who boasts of extensive history of collaborating with wide array of stakeholder groups on substantial public issues, including negotiating with parties in seemingly hostile issues.

"He is a peace builder in the Niger Delta Region and has been a top-level executive of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) with rich experience across multiple sectors, including infrastructure development, security, environmental remediation, as well as oil and gas.

"He was member of Delta State Waterways Security Council and later, Chairman of Subcommittee on Security Waterways Security Council

"He also served as Chief Protocol to The Chairman Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) and was a member of Federal Government of Nigeria Presidential Committee on Environment of the Niger Delta. How would you fault such an array of experience.

"If you are talking if academic qualification, Dr. Otuaro holds a PhD in Comparative Politics & Development Studies, MSc in Public Administration, and a BSc in Education" he stated.

While insisting that the PAP boss is also a grassrooter well accepted across the Niger Delta region, he urged indigenes to offer support to the new PAP leadership to further engages youths into gainful ventures that will de-escalate agitation and hostility.