“Warri Is Not Ijaw Territory”, Group Cautions Otuaro, Presidential Amnesty Coordinator

The Warri Media Group has accused Dennis Otuaro, Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, of actions it says threaten peace and constitutional order in Warri.

In a statement, the group criticised Otuaro’s participation in the Warri arm of the Isaac Boro Day celebrations, calling it a “provocative overreach” in a region with clearly defined ethnic boundaries.

They accused Otuaro of backing a protest that falsely accused First Lady Oluremi Tinubu of interfering in INEC’s electoral boundary review. Instead, they claim Mr Otuaro himself influenced the process through an INEC official with ties to him.

Read the statement below:

RE: RECKLESS CONDUCT OF MR. DENNIS OTUARO — FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MUST ACT TO PRESERVE PEACE AND CONSTITUTIONAL ORDER IN WARRI

The attention of the Warri Media Group has been drawn to a series of troubling developments orchestrated, or at the very least enabled, by Mr. Dennis Otuaro, Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP). These actions, we regret to note, are not only injurious to the fragile peace in Warri but also constitute a direct affront to the constitutional obligations of neutrality, decency, and accountability expected of a public officeholder.

It bears restating that the Isaac Boro Day, celebrated annually, is not by itself objectionable. However, Mr. Otuaro’s calculated decision to participate in the Warri observance of the event an area with a well-defined historical and ethnic structure is a provocative overreach. His presence at such an event, in this context, is an unmistakable attempt to stoke ethnic tension in an already delicate environment. It is imperative to reiterate that Warri is not Ijaw territory, and no revisionist narrative however insidiously propagated will alter this truth.

Of far greater concern is the credible intelligence indicating that Mr. Otuaro, despite enjoying federal patronage under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu—whom he did not support electorally—is allegedly the financier and strategic backer of a recent ill-conceived protest. This protest, organized by a splinter of Urhobo and Ijaw elements, made the baseless and contemptible allegation that Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, was interfering in the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) delineation exercise in Warri.

The Warri Media Group categorically rejects this narrative. We have strong reason to believe that Mr. Otuaro himself, in concert with his political principal, induced this very delineation misadventure through a serving INEC National Commissioner, Mrs. Rhoda Gumus—his kinswoman. It is therefore an unconscionable irony that he now seeks to weaponize public sentiment against the First Lady in order to mask what appears to be a blatant abuse of process.

We are also compelled to recall the unfortunate case of an illustrious Itsekiri daughter, Mrs. Edith E. Eyesan, who, as the Executive Vice President, Upstream, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.), demonstrated a steadfast commitment to due process and accountability in both the upstream and downstream sectors of the oil and gas industry. For her insistence on transparency, she became the target of a vicious blackmail campaign orchestrated by Mr. Otuaro and his Gbaramatu associates and godfathers. Their sustained and calculated attacks eventually led to her removal from office—an injustice that still rankles within the Itsekiri nation. Let it be clearly understood that we will not allow such a travesty to repeat itself. Enough is enough.

Mr. Otuaro must be reminded that public office is a public trust. The PAP is a national reintegration initiative established to consolidate peace, not a personal vehicle for ethnic expansionism or political mischief. His conduct, if left unchecked, may ignite needless strife and undermine national stability in a region still recovering from historical fault lines.

Accordingly, we call upon the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, cause an official inquiry into Mr. Otuaro’s activities and determine his continued suitability for that office. The peace of Warri cannot be subjected to the whims of a public officer whose loyalties appear to lie elsewhere.

We further demand that Mr. Otuaro be cautioned in the strongest terms to desist from actions capable of breaching public peace, distorting ethnic boundaries, or disrespecting the institution of the Presidency through proxy attacks on the person of the First Lady.

Let it be on record that the people of Itsekiri will lawfully resist any attempt to upend their constitutional and historical identity.

Enough is enough. We must preserve the peace.

Signed:
Comr. Alex Shola Omaretsesione

Comr. Lily-white O. Esigbone

Comr. Toju Apoh

Comr. Tosan Osandatuwa

On behalf of Warri Media Group

Thursday, May 16, 2025