The Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) has dismissed claims that it owes Novena University, Ogume, Delta State, tuition fees for 5,000 Itsekiri graduates allegedly sponsored under its scholarship scheme.
In a statement on Tuesday, the PAP described the allegation as “totally false, baseless, and an attempt to stand truth on its head,” insisting that it has no outstanding liabilities to Novena University or any other institution within or outside Nigeria.
The rebuttal followed a statement issued by Collins Edema, who identified himself as an agent of the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III.
Edema had claimed that the PAP failed to settle the tuition and clearance fees of the 5,000 Itsekiri graduates, prompting the monarch’s palace to announce an intervention.
But PAP countered that the supposed beneficiaries were never sponsored by the body.
According to the agency, an internal probe conducted under past administrations revealed that the 5,000 names were forwarded to Novena University in 2017 by the Itsekiri National Youth Council (INYC), without the knowledge or approval of the amnesty programme.
“The investigation revealed that the list in question did not emanate from the PAP, and did not have any authorization or approval of the amnesty programme office.
“Therefore, the affected Itsekiri indigenes could not have been deemed to be beneficiaries of the PAP scholarship scheme,” the statement signed by Igoniko Oduma, media aide to the current Administrator, Dr. Dennis Otuaro, said.
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The agency further disclosed that officials of Novena University, including its vice chancellor, failed to present any documentation proving that PAP sanctioned the alleged deployment of the students.
The findings, it added, made it clear that the amnesty office could not accept liability.
“To set the records straight, PAP is not owing Novena University any tuition fees on account of the said Itsekiri graduates.
“At the end of the exercise, PAP duly informed the management of Novena University that it would not bear any liability for the affected students.
“Doing so would have amounted to encouraging sharp practices,” the statement stressed.
PAP also used the opportunity to highlight Otuaro’s ongoing reforms, noting that he has expanded the programme’s scholarship scheme for ex-agitators.
“All the PAP administrations that preceded the current one respected the incontrovertible truth so established.
“Dr. Otuaro remains unwaveringly committed to deepening the implementation of the programme’s mandate, especially through inclusivity,” Oduma added.
