LAGOS JANUARY 8TH (URHOBOTODAY)-Urhobo youths and that of their Ijaw counterparts seem to be singing different song over Federal Government appointment of Sole Administrator to manage the affairs of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
On Thursday, Urhobo youths who have appealing to the Federal Government to appoint a substantive board in place of that of a sole administrator as enshrined in the Commission constitution ran out of patient. They blocked the Delta State axis of the East-West road, protesting the appointment of a sole administrator for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The angry youth under the aegis of Urhobo Youths Leaders’ Council (UYLC), disrupted commercial activities and chanting solidarity songs while denouncing the development.
According to Tribune Online, the youths issued President Buhari a 20-day ultimatum to appoint a substantive board for the NDDC or be ready for a showdown.
Tribune Online reports that travellers were stuck in East-West road as movements to and from Port Harcourt, Bayelsa was disrupted for several hours.
The youth were also armed with tugs of trees and placards bearing various inscriptions such as, “President Buhari, obey the NDDC Act by appointing a substantive board,” “Urhobo youths are angry,” and “Urhobo youths are in support of the forensic audit, but appoint a board for the Commission.”
Others include “President Buhari, enough of politics in the Villa over NDDC and put in place substantive Board,” “Our roads are bad” and “We need a substantive board in NDDC,” among others.
Coordinator of UYLC, Comrade Lucky Emonefe, in a chat with journalists, said the Urhobo youths were in support of the forensic audit ordered by President Buhari, stressing that “those who are corrupt should face the consequences of their actions.”
He called on President Buhari to obey the law, especially provisions of Section 2 of the act establishing the NDDC by inaugurating a substantive board, rejecting the politics allegedly being played with the future of the agency and the entire people of the Niger Delta.
He said: “There are some group of persons playing politics in the Villa over the NDDC matter. They want to personally acquire the NDDC as their personal properties.
“This is a board that’s made up of persons from different states. What we can have is just a sole administrator.
“We as youths of Niger Delta, we reject the sole administrator appointed by Mr. President. We want Mr. President to obey section 2 of the NDDC Act by inaugurating the Board.
“We are not interested in who is on the board. That’s not our business. But what we want is that Delta State representative, Ondo State representative and Bayelsa State representative should be there. Not that only one man in Akwa-Ibom should oversee the affairs of the Niger Delta,” he enthused.
Comrade Emonefe vowed to mobilise youths to shut down all critical oil and gas assets belonging to the Federal Government in their next protest if their requests were not granted.
Meanwhile, Ijaw youths under the aegis of Ijaw Progressive Youth Leaders (IPYL) have warned those criticising the appointment of Mr. Effiong Okon Akwa as the sole administrator of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to desist henceforth. They stated that the appointment was made in line with the demands of the South-South governors.
The group in a statement on Thursday also condemned what it described as the continuous disparaging of the interventionist agency by politicians who are determined to frustrate the ongoing forensic audit of the books of the commission.
According to the statement signed by Franklin Magada, Comrade Jackson Agbor and Sunny Clark, the group stated that they had to make their position known following the criticism that greeted the appointment of a sole administrator for the commission.
They also lamented what they described as the continuous maligning of the commission especially in respect to the ongoing audit, Interim Management Committee and sole administrator.
They said: “We believe these plots are sponsored by a section of disgruntled politicians from the region who see the NDDC as a cash cow to maintain their flamboyant lifestyle.
“We condemn the consistent pull him down syndrome that is currently prevalent in the region especially against the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Chief Gods will Akpabio and are in total support of the forensic audit.
“We also are of the position that President Muhammadu Buhari appointed a sole administrator for the commission in line with the demands of the South-South governors and obedience to court orders to finalise the audit process.”