INC Explains Reasons Visit To PAP Boss

 

 

The  Ijaw National Congress (INC), has said that  contrary to reports that   it endorsed  Dr Dennis Otuaro, the Presidential Amnesty Programme Boss, INC has debunked the allegation stating that it was not a private visit  neither did the apex Ijaw body endorsed Otuaro.

INC President, Professor Benjamin Okaba  speaking to journalists on Sunday in Yenagoa that  the recent  frowned at the criticism by a Niger Delta group, the Project Niger Delta (PND), saying that  their outburst was quite unfortunate, malicious and not in the best interest of the Ijaws.

Recall that PND had faulted a media reports credited to the Special Assistant on Media to PAP Administrator, Igoniko Oduma that the President of INC, Professor Benjamin Okaba commended and endorsed Dr Denis Otuaro.

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In the statement signed by Princewill Ebebi, Executive Director/Coordinator of Project Niger Delta and made available newsmen on Saturday, the group had  stated that Prof. Okaba did not inform any of his EXCO members before going ahead to endorse Dr Otuaro.

But Okaba, while reacting to the statement by PND, said the visit to the PAP Boss in Abuja was not planned but a visit to an Ijaw brother by his Ijaws brothers, adding that it has no bearing to the incoming scheduled visit to the PAP office by the INC executives 

Okaba said rather than trying to cause dissatisfaction among the ethnic nationality,  those criticizing the visit should see the positives from the meeting as lots of developmental initiatives including the planed visit by the INC executives were discussed.

Okaba insisted that he went to the PAP office on the invitation of the PAP Boss who learnt he was in Abuja on a national assignment and that his visit was not official as claimed in the statement by PND.

He said:"Infact I even called the Publicity  Secretary when I was with the amnesty boss, I  called him that I'm here with the amnesty boss and even spoke with him, but he is masterminding this thing because he did not follow me."

"We can not keep this low because it is not good for the Ijaw image, it is not also good for the amnesty boss because somebody saying that he is self acclaimed, someone sitting in an office?.

"We didn't go there to endorse anybody, if  there is any contention that is when you want to endorse, so endorsement is way out of it.

"The visit was never planned, the amnesty engagement with the entire exco is still intact and will come up in a short while and the president did not go there to talk about himself and  endorsement,there was no endorsement, because there was no need for any endorsement."

"It is mischievous for anyone who is in tune with the operations of the INC to conceive and say that the President and his cohorts endorsed the SA/Coordinator of the PAP as there are no known rivals or contestants to the President and other NEC members since after the appointment of the present occupant of the office"

"Is the grouse and unwarranted attack by this group (PND) and their sponsors premised on the absence of some NEC members or that Dr Otuaro has not been appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu."