Spread the word
The Akwa Ibom State Ex-Militants Forum has endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for re-election in 2027.
They also passed a vote of confidence on the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, Dr Dennis Brutu Otuaro, urging his retention beyond 2027.
The forum also commended the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, for his role in coordinating national security efforts and called for sustained support for the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP).
In a statement signed by Elder Imoh Okoko and the forum’s president, Sunny Affia, the group said its resolutions were reached in good faith, without ethnic bias or political considerations, in the interest of national development and stability in the Niger Delta.
It reaffirmed its support for Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, stressing the need for sustained peace, responsible leadership, investment in human capital and continued Federal Government engagement in the region.
The forum also urged the Office of the National Security Adviser to continue providing institutional support for the Amnesty Programme.
Condemning calls for Otuaro’s removal, the group said such demands failed to recognise the programme’s role in sustaining peace, rehabilitating former agitators and promoting skills development and economic empowerment across the Niger Delta.
It noted that the programme had expanded its focus beyond monthly stipends to include education, vocational training, skills acquisition and sustainable reintegration.
The forum cited postgraduate scholarship opportunities facilitated for 243 Niger Delta youths, including 150 reportedly studying in the United Kingdom, as evidence of investment in human capital development.
It said the beneficiaries would acquire knowledge and skills to contribute to the development of the region and the country.
The group alleged that some campaigns against Otuaro were motivated by ethnic, sectional, personal or political interests rather than an objective assessment of his performance.
It also cautioned against interpreting its position as opposition to the Ijaw ethnic nationality, acknowledging the Ijaw people’s historic contributions to the Niger Delta struggle.
“No ethnic group owns the Presidential Amnesty Programme. PAP is a Federal Government intervention established for the peace, stability, rehabilitation and development of the Niger Delta and must therefore serve the collective interest of the region and Nigeria,” the statement said.
Spread the word