The Niger-Delta Environmental Justice Coalition has refuted allegations levelled against Dr. Dennis Otuaro, Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), describing them as baseless, malicious and divisive.
The group, in a statement signed by its spokesman, Comrade Abalagha Adawari, dismissed claims surrounding Otuaro’s participation in the remembrance activities of Major Isaac Adaka Boro in Warri, Delta State.
“We categorically reject the claim that Dr. Otuaro’s participation in the remembrance of Major Isaac Adaka Boro in Warri constitutes a ‘provocative overreach’ and an attempt to stoke ethnic tension. Major Isaac Boro, a revered nationalist of Ijaw heritage and a bonafide son of the Niger Delta, fought for the liberation and justice of all Niger Deltans. His legacy transcends ethnic boundaries, and his contributions to the region and Nigeria as a whole are celebrated across the Niger Delta.
“To suggest that commemorating such a hero in Warri, a city within the Niger Delta, is an act of ethnic provocation taken too far by these elements and their co travelers. It is not only absurd but a deliberate distortion of history aimed at fanning division. We affirm that Major Boro’s memory can and should be honored anywhere in the Niger Delta, and no group has the right to gatekeep such commemorations.
“We warn the Warri Media Group to immediately desist from orchestrating division and promoting ethnic chauvinism in the Niger Delta. Their actions threaten the unity and collective progress of our region. Every Nigerian, regardless of political or religious affiliation, has the constitutional right to assemble and commemorate shared heroes anywhere in Nigeria, as guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Attempts to curtail this right under the guise of ethnic exclusivity are unacceptable and must be condemned by all well-meaning stakeholders.”
The group also dismissed the allegation that Dr. Otuaro did not support President Bola Tinubu during the 2023 general election.
“This claim is a product of shoddy journalism and a failure of due diligence. Dr. Otuaro tirelessly campaigned across the creeks and communities of the Niger Delta, mobilizing support for President Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC). His commitment to the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda is evident in his actions and the transformative programs he continues to implement under the PAP,” it stated.
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