By Eseoghene Emuke
The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) on Wednesday asked President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately sack Senator Godswill Akpabio as minister of Niger Delta Affairs over his alleged “undue interference” in the running of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
IYC, an umbrella body Ijaw youths worldwide, said Akpabio’s actions and utterances since his appointment as minister were capable of plunging the erstwhile volatile Niger Delta region into fresh chaos.
In a statement on Wednesday signed by its President, Mr. Eric Omare, IYC also rejected the inauguration of an interim committee to run the activities of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
It described the inauguration of the Mrs Joy Gbene Nunieh-led three-man interim committee same day President Buhari forwarded the names of the newly appointed NDDC board to the senate for clearance and confirmation as illegal and self-serving.
ALSO READ: Buhari Appoints Three-Man Interim Mgt Commitee For NDDC
Mr President had on Tuesday October 29, 2019 sent the names of the newly constituted board to the senate for confirmation.
However, the minister Akpabio in the evening of that same Tuesday announced President Buhari’s approval of an interim committee with Mrs Joy Gbene Nunieh as Acting Managing Director, Dr Cairo Ojougbo as EDP and Chief Bassey Etang as Executive Director, Finance.
But IYC said President Buhari should sack Akpabio as minister before he plunge the region into another rounds of crises owing to his recent actions.
“The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) worldwide has called for the immediate sack of the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Chief Godswill Akpabio for undue interference in the affairs of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
“The activities of Chief Akpabio since his appointment as Minister of Niger Delta Affairs have led to instability and confusion in the Niger Delta region especially with respect to the management of the NDDC.
“It would be recalled that President Buhari through the office of the Secretary to Government of the Federation on Tuesday August, 2019 announced the appointment of the Board of NDDC with Chief Bernard Okumagba as Managing Director and Chief Odubu as Chairman subject to senate clearance.
“On Tuesday, October 29, 2019, the names of the newly appointed board members were forwarded to the Senate for clearance and the Senate President. Ahmed Lawal directed the Senate Committee on NDDC led by Senator Peter Nwaboshi (Delta North) to do the screening within one week.
“However, to the utter consternation of Niger Deltans and Nigerians, in the evening hours of October 29, 2019, Chief Akpabio ran to Channels Television and announced the appointment of a three man NDDC interim management committee led by one Mrs. Joy Ghene Nuieh as Acting Managing Director.
“The IYC completely reject the interim management committee set up by Chief Akpabio because it is not in the interest of the NDDC and the Niger Delta region to set up such a committee when the Senate has begun the screening and promised to complete the exercise within seven days.
“In the channels interview, Akpabio in one breath said that the interim management committee would stay in office until the senate approval of the new board and in another breath said that the committee would stay until the completion of forensic audit order by President Buhari”, the statement further added.
YOU MAY ALSO READ: Aide’s Arrest: Obaseki Attacks Oshiomhole Again, Says APC Chair ‘Fighting A Lost Battle’
IYC, while faulting the interim committee, demanded, “Therefore, we are compelled to ask what exactly is Chief Akpabio’s intention in setting up the interim management committee? How can an interim management committee be set up when within a week time, the Senate would have cleared the board members ready for inauguration?
“What would the interim management committee achieve for the Niger Delta region within one week period of their stay in office? Why is there so much instability in the NDDC under the Buhari’s presidency, when the North East Development Commission with similar mandate is focused and delivering on its mandate?
“We make bold to state that Akpabio’s intention in setting up an interim management committee with one of his political loyalist Chief Ibanga Bassey Etang as Acting Executive Director, Finance and Administration is to use the NDDC to promote personal aggrandizement at the expense of the development of the Niger Delta region.
“Since assumption of office, Mr. Akpabio has taken several actions in relation to the NDDC that are detrimental to the interest of the region. It would be recalled that one of the first things Akpabio did as Minister of Niger Delta Affairs was to ask the then interim management committee under Dr. (Mrs.) Akwagaga Eyia to pay water hyacinth contracts of 1.9 billion naira with a list full of people unknown to Niger Deltans to the exclusion of the youths of the region who are the usual beneficiaries. As if that was not enough, Akpabio was also involved in the aborted illegal secret recruitment exercise in the NDDC.
“The IYC is wondering if Chief Akpabio is Minister of NDDC or the Niger Delta Affairs. Why is Akpabio more interested in the NDDC instead of coordinating the overall development of the Niger Delta region especially the completion of the East Road Road that has been abandoned since President Buhari assumed office? Consequently, the IYC call for the immediate sack of Chief Akpabio as Minister of Niger Delta Affairs in the interest of relative peace in the Niger Delta region.
“We further call for the reversion of the order granting the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs supervisory powers of the NDDC. We had initially thought that it was the right decision but Akpabio’s conduct so far shows that the NDDC under the Niger Delta Ministry would not be able to achieve its statutory responsibilities. The supervision of the NDDC should be returned back to the Presidency as it was before now.”
