PAP Is for All Niger Deltans, Not Gbaramatu — Ibena Dismisses Blackmail Claims

PAP Is for All Niger Deltans, Not Gbaramatu — Ibena Dismisses Blackmail Claims

Ibena Rufus Salvation, National Chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) Phase 2, has faulted claims that the programme under the leadership of its Administrator, Chief Dr. Dennis Burutu Otuaro, is skewed in favour of Gbaramatu communities, describing the allegations as baseless, misleading, and a form of cheap blackmail.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Ibena, who hails from Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, insisted that beneficiaries of PAP scholarships and empowerment programmes are drawn from across the Niger Delta and not from any single clan or ethnic group.

“My name is Ibena Rufus Salvation, and I am from Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. Am I from Gbaramatu? There are thousands of people on scholarship who are not from Gbaramatu. As a matter of fact, Otuaro does not even know the individual beneficiaries; all he knows is that they are Niger Deltans,” he stated.

Ibena explained that beneficiaries are carefully selected through inputs from critical stakeholders, including traditional rulers, genuine leaders, and recognised beneficiaries of the programme. He stressed that no credible leader is protesting against the current administration of the Presidential Amnesty Programme.

“No genuine leader is complaining about Otuaro. Those faceless individuals should stop the blackmail. The era of cheap blackmail is over because Otuaro is visibly demonstrating capacity. Beneficiaries are seeing it, feeling the impact, and leaders are satisfied,” he added.

Addressing claims surrounding the alleged ₦65,000 stipend increment, Ibena clarified that the budget approved by the National Assembly and the President did not include any increase in stipends for beneficiaries.

“The approved budget did not capture any stipend increment at all. Stipends were never increased. What the budget captured was reintegration, empowerment, and the accommodation of genuine beneficiaries who were left out during the struggle,” he explained.

According to him, the focus of the increased budget was rehabilitation and empowerment initiatives such as leadership training, scholarships, and vocational skills acquisition, rather than stipends.

“The budget increment was strictly for rehabilitation and empowerment. That is why you see leadership training, scholarships, vocational training, and empowerment programmes being implemented. It was never for stipend increment,” he emphasized.

Ibena further dismissed claims that beneficiaries were largely drawn from Gbaramatu, noting that students currently studying both within Nigeria and abroad under the programme come from Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta, Akwa Ibom, and other Niger Delta states.

“Is Gbaramatu in Rivers, Akwa Ibom, or Bayelsa? Even Urhobo and Itsekiri people are beneficiaries. These allegations are nothing but cheap blackmail,” he stated.

He also questioned the credibility of the author of the publication, insisting that the individual lacked identity and standing within the programme.

“The name ‘Tare’ mentioned in the alleged publication refers to a faceless individual. He has no surname, no identity, and is not even a beneficiary of the programme,” Ibena said.

Ibena commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for remaining focused despite what he described as distractions, and he reaffirmed the unwavering support of PAP leaders and beneficiaries, both at home and abroad, for the current administration of the programme.