...As He Condemned Threats To Arrest Or Jail Those Demanding a Stipend Increase, Calling Such Action "Absurd, Tyrannical, & Wicked."

Comrade Ezekiel Daniel has issued a strong appeal to the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Dennis Otuaro, demanding an immediate increase in the monthly stipends for ex-agitators from ₦65,000 to at least ₦200,000.

Daniel, who played a pivotal role in lobbying the presidency for a massive funding boost for the Amnesty office, expressed deep disappointment that the increased funds have not trickled down to the beneficiaries. 

He warned that "silence is no longer golden" while the delegates continue to suffer amid severe economic inflation.

The journey of the Presidential Amnesty Programme was never an easy one. When the idea of granting amnesty to Niger Delta ex-agitators was first proposed to the late President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua by Timi Alaibe in 2009, it was initially met with widespread hostility and skepticism.

"It is on record that I was the second person in the entire region, after Mama Annkio Briggs, to use the media to call on our brothers in the creeks to give this peace initiative a chance," Daniel recalled, pointing to his early advocacy in "The Nation" and "Vanguard" newspapers.

Against the odds, the program succeeded. Over the years, it has transformed the lives of thousands of youths from underprivileged backgrounds, offering them a lifeline through education, vocational skills, and economic empowerment.

When Dennis Otuaro assumed leadership of the Amnesty office, he faced intense pushback from critics who questioned his capacity to lead. According to Daniel, he was the sole advocate who stepped forward to defend Otuaro, shielding him from political attacks until stability was restored.

Once settled, Otuaro reportedly approached Daniel to complain that the program's tight budget was choking his vision for the region. Promising to intervene, Daniel launched a fierce advocacy campaign targeted at President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

To break through the bureaucratic red tape, Daniel deployed a unique strategy. He recorded a passionate video entirely in fluent Yoruba. In the video, he pleaded directly with President Tinubu, explaining how skyrocketing inflation had made the current ₦65,000 monthly stipend unlivable for the ex-agitators.

The video went viral, capturing the attention of the President’s Chief of Staff, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, who presented it directly to President Tinubu.

The video shocked many across the Niger Delta and within the halls of Aso Rock, who wondered how an Izon (Ijaw) man could speak such flawless Yoruba. But the unconventional strategy worked. Within a week, the Federal Government increased the Amnesty office’s allocation from ₦65 billion to ₦115 billion.

Nearly ten months after securing this massive budget increase, Daniel expected the leadership of the Amnesty office to pass the benefits down to the ex-agitators. Instead, the stipend remains stagnant at ₦65,000.

Daniel strongly rejected claims from Otuaro's camp that only the President has the authority to increase the stipend. "If indeed only the President can approve an increment, what is stopping Dennis from sending an official memo through the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) to the President?" Daniel questioned. "The truth is, he knows his public excuses hold no water."

Rather than addressing the welfare of the delegates, Daniel alleged that the Amnesty leadership has resorted to propaganda and intimidation. He condemned reports of threats to arrest, torture, or jail anyone demanding a stipend increase, calling such actions "absurd, tyrannical, and wicked."

He also took aim at internal elements within "Oporoza House," specifically naming individuals like "Tare," whom he accused of pocketing billions of naira without working, while the youths who earned the budget increase receive nothing.

Daniel concluded with a stern warning to Otuaro, reminding him that the fight for a larger budget was meant to uplift the impoverished youth of the Niger Delta, not to fund personal luxuries or enrichment.

"The key role of Dennis Otuaro in the Amnesty office is the welfare of the ex-agitators. That is why I fought for this budget increase. It is pure evil to continue paying these boys ₦65,000 in today’s Nigeria. President Tinubu played his part; now, Dennis must play his." Daniel asserted