Presidential Amnesty Programme Graduates

PRESS RELEASE

Otuaro Cautions PAP Foreign Scholarship Beneficiaries Against Abuse Of Sponsorship

The Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Dr Dennis Otuaro, has strongly advised post-graduate foreign scholarship beneficiaries of the programme not to abuse the opportunity to further their studies.

He gave the admonition at the orientation programme for the third batch of the foreign scholarship beneficiaries, which make up the over 140 deployed for post-graduate studies in universities in the United Kingdom, at the PAP headquarters in Abuja on Thursday.

Like the previous two batches, the third batch beneficiaries also received brand new laptops from the PAP office to help them in their studies and research in their various institutions in the U.K.

Otuaro expressed deep appreciation to President Bola Tinubu and the Office of the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, for supporting the initiatives of the PAP towards bringing the Amnesty Programme close to the people of the Niger Delta.

He warned the beneficiaries that their deployment was not a window to "japa", saying they should return to Nigeria after successfully completing their programmes and add value to the development of the region and the country.

He noted that the large-scale deployment, which started with the first batch in January 2025, followed by the second batch on September 11, 2025, was part of a deliberate effort to close the human capital development gap in the region.

He stressed that the area was in dire need of relevant manpower in critical disciplines and human endeavours.

Otuaro urged them to conduct themselves responsibly and obey the laws of their host country, as well as the rules and regulations of their various universities while studying hard to justify their sponsorships.

The PAP helmsman said, "I don't want any of you to abuse this post-graduate scholarship opportunity that is given to you. I am saying this because previous abuses have made our chances to become so slim in some European countries, but the U.K. Government has been very considerate.

"I want to admonish you as beneficiaries to go, complete your studies and come back and add value to our region and the country. That is why we are giving you this opportunity. This is not an opportunity to japa.

"We give honour and appreciation, first, to His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCRF, for the huge support he has given to the Presidential Amnesty Programme, and also the Office of the National Security Adviser. I appreciate them immensely for supporting us in the direction we are going.

"All we are doing is a deliberate effort to close the human capacity development gap in the region so that, at every point in time, we have people qualified for any field of endeavour. Some of us didn't have the opportunity to benefit from scholarship award but today you are beneficiaries. Tomorrow it will be the turn of others.

"So this post-graduate scholarship is an opportunity for you to go and study, finish, and come back home. The deployment is based on skill-demand of the Niger Delta. Don't overstay. At the end of your programme, return home and if you have anything else you want to do, reapply (for visa) to go back there. Don't use this opportunity to crash into other programmes that will give you problems."

He urged them to make good use of the sponsorship and also make their families, communities, the region, the Federal Government of Nigeria, and the President proud.

While congratulating all beneficiaries on the their deployment, Otuaro expressed gratitude to the Government of the U.K. for accepting the over 140 post-graduate students that make up the three batches deployed by the PAP in January, and September 11 and 18, 2025.

Signed:
Mr Igoniko Oduma
Special Assistant on Media to the Administrator, Presidential Amnesty Programme
19/09/2025.

PRESS RELEASE

2027: Niger Delta'll Support Only Tinubu- PAP Boss

•••Says He Has Earned the Peoples’ Confidence

The Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Dr Dennis Otuaro, has declared that the Niger Delta will support only President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 elections.

He stated this in his remarks at the closing ceremony of the 'Stream 1' batch 3, three-day strategic Leadership, Alternative Dispute Resolution and Mediation Training organised by the PAP for its stakeholders in collaboration with the Nigerian Army Resource Centre, Abuja, on Friday.

Otuaro reiterated that President Tinubu had genuine intentions for the Niger Delta and was determined to sustain the prevailing peace in the region while galvanizing development activities and socio-economic growth through his Renewed Hope Agenda.

He urged the people of the region to unite firmly behind President Tinubu's second term ambition for the greater good of the area.

He also cautioned the Niger Delta people to beware of political manipulators as activities gradually gather momentum towards the 2027 contest.

The PAP Boss urged the people of the region to be wary of the antics of desperate politicians with the intent to cause mischief in the region.

Otuaro stressed that President Tinubu has proven in the past two years that he has the best of intentions for the region, noting that his administration, when re-elected, would consolidate on the laudable gains it had so far recorded.

He noted that President Tinubu had given unprecedented encouragement to the PAP, particularly his approval of an increase in the programme's budget to enable it expand opportunities in formal education, vocational training and post-training empowerment schemes for ex-agitators and beneficiaries.

Otuaro expressed optimism that President Tinubu would do much more for the region as he had demonstrated strong commitment and the political will to deliver on his mandate in the past two years.

The PAP helmsman said, "As Niger Delta people, we will support only His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, in 2027. Let us not allow anybody to deceive us that come 2027, there is a new and better agenda. That is not true and we are wise enough to know.

"We are sure that President Tinubu has the best agenda for the country and indeed the Niger Delta, and he is the only candidate that we will all support.

"The President has proved that he has genuine intentions to sustain the peace, security, infrastructure and human capital development, and the socio-economic advancement in our region. He means well for us, and this is incontrovertible.

"We shall therefore fully support him. Supporting him is the right thing to do. Anywhere the President goes, we go. And that will be our mandate because the Niger Delta is our agenda.

"Though the elections are several months away, we must be aware of political manipulators who are out with their agenda of mischief.

“We must watch out as Niger Delta people. Let's not allow anybody to use anyone against us and the agenda of the President. We are so focused that we cannot be distracted. We know what is working for us, and what is good for our region and we will work to sustain the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President.

The PAP helmsman urged the people of the Niger Delta to shun divisiveness and work together in unity for the betterment of the area and to lay a solid foundation for the future.


Signed:
Mr Igoniko Oduma
Special Assistant on Media to the Administrator, Presidential Amnesty Programme
09/08/2025