As the call for inauguration of the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) gathers momentum, Niger Delta Affairs minister Godswill Akpabio, has yet another battle to fight.
A report seen by Emerald News is to the effect that the minister said he is ready to speed up the inauguration of the NDDC board as demanded by the people of the region.
While he made the promise, he did not categorically say he would the board already nominated by President Muhammadu Buhari or he is appointing another board.
But Urhobo youths of Delta state are insisting that the only board they will accept is the Pius Odubu and Bernard Okumagba led board which has been screened and waiting swearing by the minister of Niger Delta.
Making the demand under the auspices of Urhobo Youth Forum For Change, (UYFC), the youths noted that the Urhobo nation had maintained a peaceful disposition to the success story of NDDC over the years and therefore deserve to be accorded its due honour on the NDDC board in the interest of justice, equity and fairness.
The body noted that it will be a slap on the face of the Urhobo people for both the federal government and National Assembly to announce a new board when Pius Odubu and Bernard Okumagba-led executive that was unveiled by President Muhammadu Buhari and screened by federal lawmakers had not been inaugurated.
Reacting in a statement signed by its Coordinator, Hon. Eshanekpe Israel, a.k.a Akpodoro, made available to newsmen in Warri, the youths said the appropriate thing to do in this circumstance was for the president to complete the process he started two years ago by inaugurating the board he personally announced and submitted their names to the National Assembly for screening.
According to the statement: “We the Urhobo youths wish to commend the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Goodswill Akpabio, for the respect he has accorded High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, our most respected leader and Grand Officer Commanding (GOC) of the region by coming to consult with him over the 7-day ultimatum he had issued to FG to constitute the NDDC board.
“We also appreciate the stakeholders who were present at the peace parley for speaking the mind of our people to the visiting minister and other federal government delegation present at the Oporoza meeting held on June 3, 2021, to assuage our people to drop the ultimatum earlier issued by our GOC to the federal government for the composition of a substantive NDDC board”.
“We are pleased to know that the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Akpabio, had agreed to commence the process of constituting a new board on his return to Abuja, but we are insisting that the appropriate step for the minister is to immediately Inaugurate the Pius Odubu and Bernard Okumagba-led executive, that had been unveiled and screened for the job.
“Anything contrary to this would be interpreted as a slap on the Urhobo people who had been peaceful and law abiding ìn the region, especially with the International Oil Companies (IOCs) operating in our areas and had also contributed immensely to the successful stories that had been recorded by NDDC over the years.
“We, however, want to appeal that our peaceful nature should not be taken for granted and that is the reason we are appealing to the the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs to do the needful by inaugurating the Pius Odubu and Bernard Okumagba-led executive as NDDC board without further delay.
“It is only by so doing that the justice, equity and fairness would have been seen to be done to the fourth largest ethnic group in the country and also the Urhobo nation would have been accorded its due honour as a major stakeholder in the NDDC affairs”, the statement concluded.
