News

Purported Leaked Document: Group Condemns Allegations Against PAP Boss, Otuaro

Published

1 year ago

October 19, 2024

Group known as Ijaw Youths Network has condemned an allegations leveled against the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Dr Dennis Otuaro, in a section of the media over purported leak of a document.

The IYN, in a statement on Saturday signed by the President, Frank Ebikabo, and the secretary, Federal Ebiaridor, described the allegations contained in a statement by a faceless body as ridiculous.

It wondered why a document that was released into the public space several years ago could be linked to the PAP administrator.

“We are inclined to believe that some disgruntled people are all out to destroy a personality who has made bold efforts to reposition the PAP and make it truly responsive.

“The Niger Delta is too sophisticated for a group of charlatans to mislead with misinformation.

“As a major Niger Delta stakeholder group, we condemn these tactics and the attempt to distract the very able Amnesty Boss. We commend Dr Otuaro for the various initiatives he has implemented and the high standards he has brought to the Programme. He is a round peg in a round hole and a proud Niger Delta son,” The IYN added.

The group stated that a careful assessment of the repeated accusations showed that it could only have originated from a ludicrous mind.

It maintained that the Presidential Amnesty Office was not an extension of the Department of State Services, stressing that those working round the clock to link Otuaro to any such purportedly leaked document were pursuing an agenda of mischief.

The IYN, while urging security agencies to “closely watch the peddlers of the falsehood and their dangerous activities in the region,” called on Otuaro to not be distracted by his detractors.

The statement read in part, “As concerned Ijaw youths, we listened to a tape where Mr Edmund Ebiwari, said that the document in question was released several years ago and had nothing to do with Dr Otuaro.

“Dr Otuaro as a leader is under no restriction to take photographs with any group of people in the Niger Delta. Whatever the group chooses to do with the photo is not his business. He is a public figure whose attention is given to all.

“After a thorough look at the recurring accusations, the IYN feels that the ridiculous accusations could only emanate from a ludicrous mind.

“It is a fact that the Presidential Amnesty Programme is not the custodian of confidential files of the DSS. The Presidential Amnesty Office is not an annex or extension of the DSS Office, and this cannot be controverted. It is inconceivable to think that the DSS would keep his classified documents with another agency.

“Those who have fought miserably to link the purportedly leaked document to the Presidential Amnesty Programme Administrator are heartless mischief makers who have shown themselves to be enemies of the Ijaw nation.

“The DSS, a highly reputable organization with immeasurable capacity for discreet investigation, does not need unsolicited sympathies from minions of detractors in the region.

“We call on security agencies to put a tab on this dangerous characters and their activities in the Niger Delta.

“We also call on Dr Dennis Otuaro to be focused on his mission to pilot the affairs of the PAP to greater heights. That he has started well is no news to anybody in the Niger Delta.

“He cannot afford to dissipate energy to dignify the hoodlums with attention that should go to important business of governance.

“While the IYN encourages our people to carry out constructive criticism, we advise against the tendency to pull down those in strategic positions even when they are doing excellently in their various position.

“The NCSG, a fictitious body appears to have been set up purposely to write petitions and make false claims against the person and administration of Dr Otuaro, who is turning out to be the best Amnesty administrator since the body was set up.

“In its latest rants in the media, the NCSG made several wild claims. One of these was that Dr Otuaro was responsible for the leaking of what it called confidential documents. Another was the allegation of financial malfeasance in the PAP office, and finally that Dr Otuaro was partial to his Gbaramatu community in the award of scholarships.

“Of course, the group did not supply one proof to support any of these wild and fictitious claims. And even though its claims were a rehash of past ones that have been proven to have no basis, the NCSG went ahead to circulate the lies.

“It thus appears to us that groups like the NCSG have been set up deliberately to distract the PAP Administrator by making spurious claims against him in the media. Their strategy is to repeat the lies until they stick.”

News

N200b Agric Credit Dispute: Appeal Court Slams NAIC, Upholds First Bank Victory

Published

3 hours ago

November 29, 2025

Editor

The Court of Appeal, Abuja, has dismissed the appeal filed by the Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC) against First Bank of Nigeria in the long-running dispute over the disbursement of the Federal Government’s N200 billion Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme.

The decision was one of seven precedent-setting judgments delivered in six hours on Friday by Justice Okon Abang, underscoring his reputation as a hardworking, firm, and uncompromisingly principled jurist whose rulings continue to shape Nigeria’s legal landscape across criminal, human rights, banking, and civil litigation.

In 2013, the NAIC dragged First Bank before the Federal High Court via originating summons, alleging that the bank failed to deduct the mandatory 2.5 per cent premium under the agriculture credit scheme. First Bank promptly filed a counter-affidavit and written address, with both sides joining issues and exchanging further processes over the years.

But when the case was ripe for hearing, NAIC sought to suddenly withdraw its suit—claiming an unnamed Bankers’ Committee representative had approached it for an out-of-court settlement.

First Bank objected, insisting that once pleadings had been exchanged, withdrawal without consent should lead to dismissal, not a mere striking out. To strike out, the bank argued, would allow NAIC a second bite at the cherry—an abuse of process.

The Federal High Court agreed and dismissed the suit, prompting NAIC to head to the Court of Appeal.

Delivering the unanimous judgment of the Court of Appeal, Justice Abang held that NAIC’s appeal was “grossly misconceived” and that, having seen the bank’s defence, NAIC attempted to retreat and re-strategise, “only being smart, believing that it could cunningly manipulate judicial proceedings to save a suit that appears weak and manifestly unsupported.”

He stressed that, once a defendant’s counter-affidavit has been served, any withdrawal by the claimant must naturally lead to dismissal, not striking out, to avoid overreaching the respondent.

Justice Abang agreed with the trial court that, “Since issues have been joined and the matter has previously been adjourned on several occasions, the proper order to make on the application of the plaintiff is to dismiss the suit.”

The Court of Appeal also questioned NAIC’s reliance on an alleged intervention by the Bankers’ Committee—a non-party that had earlier resisted being joined in the matter.

The appellate court concluded that NAIC, having sighted the bank’s counter-affidavit, simply lost confidence in its case and sought a “soft landing” to refile later.

News

Nigeria Records One Of Africa’s Widest Gaps In Policy Reputation Index

Published

3 hours ago

November 29, 2025

Editor

Nigeria has been identified as one of the African nations suffering the largest disconnect between policy delivery and citizen trust, a finding described as the “defining governance crisis” across the continent, according to the inaugural RPI African Policy Index 2025 released by Reputation Poll International (RPI).

The comprehensive Index, which evaluates governance and policy performance across all 54 African countries, places Nigeria in the middle tier of “Strugglers” with an overall score of 52.3. This category reflects nations that achieve partial policy results but fail to earn public confidence.

Drawing from hard data on policy implementation and perception surveys involving over 25,000 Africans, the report shows that Nigeria records one of the continent’s widest Trust Gaps, sometimes exceeding 25 points between objective performance and citizen confidence.

The report flags Nigeria alongside South Africa, Angola, Egypt, and Zimbabwe as countries with the most severe mismatches.

In Nigeria, anti-corruption laws and other initiatives score reasonably well on paper but fail to inspire public trust due to perceived elite impunity and inconsistent enforcement.

Similar patterns exist across these nations, where oil wealth, infrastructure spending, and progressive legislation do not convince ordinary citizens that governments genuinely serve their interests. This trust deficit is highlighted as Africa’s core governance challenge.

The Index emphasises that without deliberate measures to close the gap—through transparent data, citizen audits, and visible accountability—policy ambitions alone cannot produce stable or legitimate outcomes.

By contrast, a small group of nations scoring above 70 demonstrate that world-class governance is achievable when delivery is matched by citizen belief.

Mauritius leads with 78.9, followed by Seychelles at 76.4, Cabo Verde at 74.8, and Botswana at 73.2. These countries excel because strong economic management, high vaccination rates, transparent institutions, and consistent progress in education and digital reforms are reinforced by equally high public trust.

Botswana and Mauritius succeed not because they are wealthy, but because they systematically include citizens in monitoring and feedback, narrowing the trust deficit to near zero.

Over half of Africa, however, remains far from this standard. The Strugglers tier (50–69.9) encompasses 30 countries, while 18 “Systemic Challengers” score below 50, from Sierra Leone at 49.2 to South Sudan at 28.4.

In these countries, structural breakdowns, chronic insecurity, and collapsed legitimacy produce average Trust Gaps of 35 points, undermining even modest policy efforts amid daily experiences of violence and exclusion.

Central Africa records the lowest regional average at 41.2, while Southern Africa dominates the top tier. West, East, and North Africa deliver mixed results.

For Nigerian leadership, the Index sends a clear message: policy formulation alone is no longer sufficient. As the country grapples with debt, youth unemployment, and climate pressures, bridging the Trust Gap through better communication, transparency, and inclusive monitoring has become essential to achieve sustained development and restore public confidence.

The RPI African Policy Index 2025 stands as both a warning and a roadmap: unless the trust deficit is addressed, Africa’s governance crisis will only deepen.
(GUARDIAN)