The Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Dr Dennis Brutu Otuaro, has urged the people of the Niger Delta to reciprocate President Bola Tinubu’s support for the region by voting massively for him in the 2027 general elections.
Otuaro made the call on Thursday in Abuja during a pre-departure orientation for 150 postgraduate scholarship beneficiaries being sponsored by the PAP to study at various universities in the United Kingdom.
The latest deployment brings to 243 the number of beneficiaries sent abroad by the programme under Otuaro’s leadership this year, following the deployment of 93 scholars in January and May.
He said about 270 beneficiaries had already been deployed to universities in the United Kingdom before the recent batches, studying courses including cybersecurity, software engineering, data science and analytics, law, forensic audit, fintech analytics, construction engineering management, global public health, and oil and gas engineering.
Otuaro described the scholarship scheme as an investment in the future of Niger Delta communities and Nigeria, saying it was also designed to sustain peace and stability, bridge the region’s human capital development gap and build a strong pool of skilled manpower.
“We are again sending some of the most brilliant and vibrant youths of the Niger Delta for postgraduate studies in select disciplines in the UK,” Otuaro said.
“We are able to do this because our father and leader, Mr President, is committed to the peace, security and development of the Niger Delta.
“I must say that, as a people, we should make sure we vote massively to ensure his victory in the 2027 general elections. This is the best way to show gratitude to a President who has taken deliberate steps to help our people and the region.”
According to him, the 150 fresh beneficiaries are joining the 93 scholars deployed earlier in the year, while the PAP had already sponsored about 270 beneficiaries to UK universities before the recent deployments.
Otuaro said 56 of the beneficiaries recorded first-class degrees, while about 140 graduated with second-class upper division honours.
“This exercise underscores our commitment to ensuring that Niger Delta youths have greater access to higher education within and outside Nigeria as we build a solid foundation for the region’s future,” he added.
The PAP boss attributed the large-scale scholarship deployments to what he described as the unprecedented support of President Tinubu under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
He said the programme currently has about 8,700 beneficiaries enrolled in in-country institutions, adding that efforts were underway to increase the number before the end of the year.
Giving further details, Otuaro said the PAP had deployed 270 beneficiaries to offshore universities, comprising 11 undergraduates, 238 master’s degree students and 21 PhD candidates.
He said 57 had graduated, many with distinctions, while 248 were still undergoing their studies. He added that 54 master’s and doctoral degree beneficiaries had graduated from universities within Nigeria.
“In the 2024/2025 academic year, we recorded over 50 first-class graduates and more than 134 with second-class upper division,” he said.
“That is our investment for a greater and better tomorrow because it will help our communities and our region.”
Otuaro thanked President Tinubu for his support for the programme and also expressed appreciation to the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, for his supervision, insights and professional contributions.
He urged the beneficiaries to take their studies seriously, obey the laws of the United Kingdom and the regulations of their respective institutions, and serve as worthy ambassadors of Nigeria and the Niger Delta.
He further reminded them of the need to return home after completing their programmes and contribute to the development of their communities and the nation.
Two of the beneficiaries, Opukeme Gideon, who is to study for an MSc in Cybersecurity at the University of Aberdeen, and Afiyagba Peredisabofa, an MSc Oil and Gas student at Coventry University, thanked President Tinubu and Otuaro for the opportunity.
They pledged, on behalf of the beneficiaries, to study hard and make Nigeria and the Niger Delta proud.
Stakeholders at the event, including the Chairman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Dr Boladei Igali; Prof. Ben Binebai of the Niger Delta University; Niger Delta activist, Annkio Briggs; Senior Policy Adviser to the Delta State Governor, Hon. Funkekeme Solomon; and the President of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Dr Doubra Okotete, commended President Tinubu for sustaining the programme and investing in the education of Niger Delta youths.
They also praised Otuaro for expanding the scholarship scheme, describing it as a legacy capable of positively impacting generations.
The stakeholders further commended the PAP Administrator for promoting gender parity in the selection process, noting that the female-to-male ratio among the beneficiaries was encouraging.
The beneficiaries were also sensitised on social and cultural dynamics, academic expectations, security issues associated with schooling abroad, and the obligations of the PAP Office to beneficiaries, including the need for economic prudence.
Other stakeholders present included PANDEF Secretary, Engr. Bekinbo Dagogo-Jack; PANDEF Treasurer, Hon. Mrs Ifeoma Agbomah; and members of the Ijaw Women Connect, led by its President, Mrs Rosemary Oduone.
