PAP Scholarship: “Why Advertise What Has Already Been Shared?” Students Challenge Otuaro Administration

By Paul Ebi

The Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), under the administration of its Administrator, Dr. Dennis Brutu Otuaro, has opened applications for its 2026/2027 scholarship programme for eligible students from the Niger Delta, but the announcement has triggered questions over the transparency of the beneficiary-selection process.

The scholarship initiative, implemented through the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, is designed to expand access to formal education and strengthen human-capital development among youths in the region

According to the programme, interested and qualified applicants are expected to register through the designated scholarship portal and provide accurate information during the application process.

Official application portal: https://scholarship.osapnd.gov.ng/Identity/Account/Register

PAP has also warned applicants against fraudsters and individuals demanding money in exchange for scholarship slots, stressing that the application process is free.

The programme highlighted its reported academic achievements, stating that 32 beneficiaries graduated with first-class honours in 2025, while another 134 obtained second-class upper degrees.

However, the scholarship announcement has generated scepticism among some Niger Delta youths, particularly over how candidates are eventually screened and selected.

“Why Advertise What Has Already Been Shared?”

The controversy intensified following a circular obtained by Tarakirivoice, purportedly issued to leaders of the Presidential Amnesty Programme Phases

The circular, attributed to a State Chairman, reads in part:

«“THIS IS TO INFORM THE HOUSE THAT THE AMNESTY SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM HAS STARTED AND ALL LEADERS ARE EXPECTED TO SEND THE NAME OF THEIR SINGLE CANDIDATE TO THE STATE SECRETARY.»

«NOTE: 1 LEADER 1 SLOT.”»

The document has raised questions among some prospective applicants about whether scholarship opportunities are simultaneously being publicly advertised while slots are being distributed through internal structures.

One of the central questions now being asked is: If applicants are required to apply through an official public portal, why would leaders also be instructed to submit individual candidates under a “one leader, one slot” arrangement?

Tarakirivoice could not independently establish whether the circular represents the official scholarship-selection mechanism of PAP or whether similar instructions were issued across all beneficiary phases.

However, the contents have fuelled calls for PAP to publicly clarify the relationship between the online application process and nominations allegedly coming through leaders.

Allegations Of ₦1 Million Scholarship Slots Surface

The controversy has also been amplified by comments circulating online alleging that some scholarship slots are being sold for as much as ₦1 million.

One commenter alleged that applicants may be required to have influential connections to stand a meaningful chance of selection, while another claimed that scholarship opportunities were allegedly being offered to people outside the Niger Delta.

These allegations remain unverified. No documentary evidence establishing that scholarship slots are being sold or that predetermined beneficiaries have been selected was provided in the reactions reviewed by Tarakirivoice.

The allegations should therefore not be treated as established facts.

Nevertheless, the claims have raised concerns about whether the selection process is sufficiently transparent to convince ordinary applicants that merit and eligibility—not connections—will determine the successful candidates.

“Apply From Now Till Thy Kingdom Come”

One particularly critical reaction alleged that applicants could “apply from now till thy kingdom come” without being considered if they did not have someone influential forwarding their names.

The commenter further alleged that scholarship opportunities were being offered outside the Niger Delta, describing the situation as unacceptable.

Again, the allegations could not independently be verified.

But the intensity of the reactions points to a deeper problem: public confidence in the scholarship-selection process.

For many prospective beneficiaries, the issue is not merely whether the scholarship exists, but whether an ordinary Niger Delta student without political, traditional or administrative connections has an equal opportunity of benefiting.

“One Leader, One Slot” Raises Fresh Questions

The phrase “1 leader, 1 slot” contained in the circular has become particularly contentious.

If genuine and applicable to the 2026/2027 exercise, critics may ask whether such a system operates alongside the publicly advertised application process or whether the leaders’ nominations are simply part of a broader screening mechanism

There are also questions over whether similar nomination arrangements exist across the remaining beneficiary phases and whether persons working within or around the Presidential Amnesty Programme have access to a disproportionate number of opportunities.

Claims that personnel within the PAP structure allegedly take the “lion share” of scholarship opportunities are also circulating, but Tarakirivoice has not independently verified those claims.

The allegations therefore require clarification rather than assumption.

Calls For Transparency Grow

The controversy has placed the scholarship exercise under increased public scrutiny.

Students and stakeholders are likely to demand that PAP publish clear information on:

– The exact eligibility requirements;

– The number of available scholarship slots;

– The selection and scoring methodology;

– Whether nominations from leaders form part of the official selection process;

– How online applications are assessed against nominated candidates;

– The identities of successful candidates;

– The geographical distribution of the slots;

– How complaints and suspected irregularities will be investigated; and

– Whether anyone found demanding money from applicants will face sanctions.

Such disclosures could help address concerns and distinguish legitimate scholarship administration from the activities of alleged middlemen or fraudsters.

PAP Faces A Credibility Test

The scholarship programme comes with an important opportunity for PAP to demonstrate transparency in the administration of educational interventions targeted at Niger Delta youths.

PAP’s warning that applicants should not pay anyone for a scholarship slot is particularly important in the face of allegations of financial demands and alleged backdoor arrangements.

If the application process is genuinely merit-based and accessible to eligible students, publishing the selection criteria and eventually releasing a verifiable list of successful beneficiaries could significantly strengthen public confidence.

Conversely, any unexplained disparity between the publicly advertised application process and internal nomination arrangements could deepen suspicion among applicants.

For now, eligible students are advised to use the official scholarship portal and not pay anyone for a scholarship opportunity.

The allegations surrounding slot allocation, influence and possible payments remain allegations until supported by credible evidence.

But one question is already dominating the conversation among some Niger Delta students:

If every eligible student is being asked to apply publicly, why does a circular obtained by Tarakirivoice say “1 leader, 1 slot”?

That is a question the PAP administration may need to answer publicly as the 2026/2027 scholarship exercise progresses.