House of Representatives Give Otuaro 72 Hours to Appear Over ₦26 Billion Audit Queries

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December 4, 2025
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The House of Representatives has issued a 72-hour ultimatum to Dr. Dennis Otuaro, coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), to appear before its Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, to answer questions arising from audit queries totaling over ₦26 billion.

The Committee warned that failure to comply will result in the issuance of a warrant for his arrest.

The directive follows Dr. Otuaro’s repeated failure to respond to six consecutive invitations to appear before the Committee.

During a public hearing on Thursday, December 4, a motion seeking an arrest warrant for the PAP coordinator was moved, seconded, and unanimously adopted by the Committee, highlighting the urgency and seriousness of the matter.

According to the Auditor-General’s report under review, multiple irregularities were flagged within the operations of PAP. These include violations of the federal government’s e-payment policy involving ₦17.6 billion; payments totaling ₦3.6 billion made without prior internal audit verification; disbursement of ₦1.5 billion for tuition fees lacking supporting documentation; bypassing of standard procurement procedures; and issuance of cash advances beyond approved limits amounting to ₦1.2 billion.

The report also flagged other financial discrepancies across the programme’s accounts.

PAC Chairman emphasized that Dr. Otuaro, along with other senior officers of PAP, must appear before the Committee to explain and account for the questioned expenditures.

The House of Representatives has made it clear that it will pursue full accountability, reinforcing the legislature’s commitment to transparency in the management of public funds.

As the December 9 deadline approaches, the nation awaits whether Dr. Otuaro will comply with the Committee’s summons or face enforcement measures, including arrest, underscoring the House’s determination to hold public officials accountable for financial management within federal programmes.