Group urges Tinubu to sack PAP boss Otuaro for EFCC probe

The Niger Delta Liberators and Ex-Agitators Forum (NDLEF) has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to relieve his Special Adviser on Niger Delta Affairs and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Chief Dennis Otuaro, of his duties to pave the way for an Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) probe.

According to NDLEF, since the appointment of Otuaro to the dual roles of SA and PAP Coordinator, he has exhibited condescension toward the observance of due process and promotion of good governance by engaging in fraudulent disbursement of public funds to his protégés.

Addressing a world press conference on Friday in Abuja, Odey Otunu, who spoke on behalf of the body, alleged the approval and disbursement of funds to the tune of N50 billion by the PAP boss to an inactive and unregistered company in the country.

Otunu, who disclosed that the EFCC had already endorsed a petition before it and commenced an investigation into the alleged mismanagement of PAP funds by Otuaro, expressed concern that the investigation may be delayed if the President refuses to disengage him for proper questioning by the anti-graft agency.

He stated: “Upon his appointment by Mr President, Otuaro has favoured his former associates for contract awards to the exclusion of other qualified citizens.

“He has been using a company by the name Maro-Kana Construction Co. Limited RC 1253803, incorporated on April 8, 2015, which is owned by his friend and former co-worker, Engr. Michael Ifeanyi Anoka, to launder public funds. Even when the object of the company states that it is in the business of construction, it has been awarded a contract by Otuaro for consultancy.

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“This is clearly giving a mandate to the company to do what it lacks the legal capacity to do.

“Their fraudulent inclination dances naked in the market square to the effect that Maro-Kana Construction Co. Limited is moribund.

“A simple search on the Corporate Affairs Commission revealed that the company is inactive and therefore does not qualify to bid for a government contract.

“Yet this is the company that, without any bidding process, has received billions of Naira perpetually for organising fictitious stakeholder meetings only.

“The details of the monies sent by Dr. Dennis Otuaro and received by Maro-Kana Construction Co. Limited are provided below:

“That on July 10, 2024, the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta paid ₦42,976,987.50 to Maro-Kana Construction Co. Limited for consultancy on strategic communication and stakeholders’ management in the Niger Delta region, Bayelsa, and Cross River States for May 2024 with payment reference 1001194577-13, Payer Code: 0111002002.

“That on July 10, 2024, the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta paid ₦42,976,987.50 to Maro-Kana Construction Co. Limited for consultancy on strategic communication and stakeholders’ management in the Niger Delta region, Bayelsa, and Cross River States for June 2024 with payment reference 1001194577-19 and Payer Code: 0111002002.

“That on July 17, 2024, the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta paid ₦90,000,000.00 to Maro-Kana Construction Co. Limited for reimbursement of stakeholders’ management meetings in Bayelsa State for June 2024 with payment reference 1001196052-39 and Payer Code: 0111002002.

“That on July 17, 2024, the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta paid ₦22,005,000.00 to Maro-Kana Construction Co. Limited for graduating fees on expenditure incurred for stakeholders’ activities as a consultant for strategic communication and stakeholders’ management in the Niger Delta region in Bayelsa and Cross River States for June 2024 with payment reference 1001196052-37 and Payer Code: 0111002002.

“That on July 17, 2024, the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta paid ₦85,000,000.00 to Maro-Kana Construction Co. Limited for reimbursement of stakeholders’ management meetings in Bayelsa and Cross River States for June 2024 with payment reference 1001196052-19 and Payer Code: 0111002002.

“That on July 17, 2024, the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta paid ₦20,782,500.00 to Maro-Kana Construction Co. Limited for graduating fees on expenditure incurred for stakeholders’ activities as a consultant for strategic communication and stakeholders’ management in the Niger Delta region in Bayelsa and Cross River States for July 2024 with payment reference 1001196052-18 and Payer Code: 0111002002.

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“That on July 30, 2024, the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta paid ₦172,000,000.00 to Maro-Kana Construction Co. Limited for stakeholders’ engagement activities as a consultant on strategic communication and stakeholders’ management with payment reference 1001200261-2 and Payer Code: 0111002002.

“That on July 30, 2024, the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta paid ₦35,045,000.00 to Maro-Kana Construction Co. Limited for reimbursement and graduating percentage on expenditure incurred on behalf of PAP with payment reference 1001200261-16 and Payer Code: 0111002002.

“That on August 2, 2024, the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta paid ₦42,976,987.50 to Maro-Kana Construction Co. Limited for strategic communication and stakeholders’ management in the Niger Delta region based on retainership for the PAP for July 2024 with payment reference 1001202045-43 and Payer Code: 0111002002.

“Within these periods of receiving these monies, Dr Dennis used the laundered public funds to instigate violence in the communities and silence any opposition to his recalcitrant and uncanny behaviour.

“It is our allegation that from the totality of the circumstances surrounding Dr. Dennis’ dealings with Engr. Michael Ifeanyi Anoka, who is a serving Commissioner in the Delta State Government, under the guise of Maro-Kana Construction Co. Limited, has swindled and laundered public funds to the tune of over 50 billion as captured above.

“The looting is aggravated by the mere notion that nothing will happen to Dr. Dennis because he has vowed to use the stolen money to fight whoever stands in his way of the looting spree.

“He has put his words into action by installing loyal community heads while creating division and bloodshed where the community leader opposes him; even the youth leaders are not spared from the community capture adventure of Dr. Dennis,” he noted.