Abuja—The Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) has withdrawn the scholarship of two beneficiaries, Patrick Ipidei and Papems Peter Etolor.
The two affected beneficiaries until this development were PAP scholarship students at Novena University, Ogume Delta state, and Baze University, Abuja respectively.
In a statement by the Special Assistant on Media to the Interim Administrator of PAP, Mr. Freston Akpor, the Amnesty office disclosed that the duo’s scholarships were withdrawn due to their alleged habit of spreading falsehood and making untrue allegations against the Programme and its Interim Administrator, Maj-Gen. Barry Ndiomu (rtd).
The Amnesty office also accused the duo of instigating other scholarship students and ex-agitators under the PAP to carry out an unnecessary public protest to embarrass the management of the PAP.
The statement reads: “We have received very disturbing reports of the horrendous activities of Messrs Patrick Ipidei and Papems Peter Etolor, two students under the ongoing PAP scholarship scheme.
“Ipidei and Etolo had over time cultivated the habit of spreading falsehood and making spurious allegations against the management of the Presidential Amnesty Programme and its Interim Administrator, Maj-Gen. Barry Ndiomu (rtd).
“It is to our knowledge that the duo and their sponsors are instigating other scholarship students and ex-agitators under the PAP to carry out an unnecessary public protest to embarrass the management of the PAP.
“The sponsored public protest is being planned because of the spiteful rumour that the management of the PAP has stopped the ongoing amnesty scholarship scheme.
“For the avoidance of doubt, there is no iota of truth in the rumour. The scholarship scheme just like the contract awards was suspended because of an ongoing auditing exercise and will commence immediately after the process is concluded.
“Only last week, Ipidei and his team met a senior official of the PAP and the report of that meeting is receiving the needed attention. We, therefore, wonder why he has intensified his personal vendetta against the management of PAP.
“Arising from their misconduct, the management of PAP has withdrawn the scholarship of Patrick Ipidei and Papems Peter Etolor with immediate effect. A letter to that effect has been sent to their respective institutions of learning.”
While it stated that it will not allow people to undermine its efforts, the Amnesty Office warned that a “similar fate will befall any recalcitrant student that decides to go against the code of conduct relating to the sponsorship of their scholarship programme.”
The PAP further urged all scholarship students and ex-agitators to use the right channels to register their grievances or concerns.
