LAGOS NOVEMBER 28TH (URHOBOTODAY)-The National Coordinator of National Coalition of Niger Delta Ex-Agitators, NCNDE-A, Eshanekpe Israel, has bemoaned the exclusion of Bernard Okumagba, from the list of the newly constituted board of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, that President Muhammadu Buhari, transmitted to the the Senate for approval.

Akpodoro, a honorary Mayor of Urhoboland, stated this in a statement on Thursday, that Mr Okumagba may have been traded off by those he described as power brokers.

Recall that sequence to the constitution and transmission of the Bernard Okumagba-led NDDC board in 2019 and same screened on October 31, 2019 with Okumagba as Managing Director of the intervention agency while the nation awaited President’s approval and subsequent inauguration but it never came until now that the President constituted a new board excluding Okumagba and others from the latest list that was read on the floor of the red chamber.

Akpodoro argued that it was unfair to treat one of the illustrious sons of Urhobo land with such ignominy.

in the manner President Buhari did to Okumagba, arguing that it was not impossible that “political racketeers and rent seekers” masquerading as Urhobo leaders threw Okumagba under the vehicle  to build political war chest for 2023 gubernatorial election in the Delta State.

“Okumagba is a victim of high-wire bargaining by our political racketeers who since screening on October 31, 2019 have been severally fleeced by hawks in millions of naira. He was deliberately traded off by those who see Urhoboland as their exclusive preserve feasting on it while others languish in poverty.

“Greed has always been our bane in Urhoboland but the magnitude of greed being displayed against Urhobo nation by one man now may consume the entire Urhobo nation if efforts are not made to stop him.

“We have now woken up to see that President Buhari chose to denigrate our illustrious son for the benefit of other for only God knows why. Bernard Okumagba, does not by any measure deserve the inhuman treatment meted out to him.

“He was screened among others and was left vulnerable to be devoured by hyenas and jackals in the presidency by same appointing authority. He has been unfortunately fleeced to his bone marrow. What a world? This government must as a matter of urgency correct this evil done our illustrious son,” the Mayor stated noting that, until justice is done, agitation will not stop.

Vanguard