Leaders of the All Progressives Congress in Warri South Local Government Area and the Delta South Senatorial District of Delta State have restated their backing for Chief Bernard Okumagba as Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
In a press statement signed by Tosan Awani, Delta State Vice Chairman of the APC and Chairman of the Delta South Senatorial District of the party; Austin Oribioye, Delta State APC Ex-officio member; Mario Owumi, Warri South Local Government Area APC Chairman; Esiri Onodarho, Warri South Local Goevrnment Area APC Secretary and Jeffrey Eruyomota, Warri South Okumagba 2 Ward 12 APC Chairman; the party reaffirmed its support for Mr Okumagba whom it described as a staunch and committed member of the party, aside his professional qualification and experience for the office of NDDC Managing Director.
The Delta State APC leaders were reacting to a press publication which questioned the commitment of Chief Okumagba to the party. Specifically, the leaders said, “The attention of the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Warri South Local Government Area in Delta State have been drawn to a publication at page 26 of the Vanguard Newspaper and page 11 of Daily Trust Newspaper of Wednesday, September 11, 2019 respectively by a faceless, mischievous and non-existent group that goes by the name “COALITION OF DELTA SOUTH APC” against the nomination of Chief Bernard Okumagba as the Managing Director in the incoming Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). A quick perusal of the narratives of this faceless and sponsored group clearly shows their high level of ignorance of the issues at stake, just the same way a few other uninformed and mischievous groups have been pontificating on this subject matter since it broke out a forthnight ago.”
The party leaders stated that, “no serious APC group will put up a publication without a contact address and proper identification of its members, added to the fact that it was not signed to give it authenticity. The three persons that stood for the publication on behalf of the faceless group called COALITION OF DELTA SOUTH APC are non-existent from investigation carried out.” They added that “the publication is coming from fifth columnists within Delta South APC family in Delta South Senatorial District having lost out in furthering their self interests in their own calculation to grab what does not belong to them, so they should not be taken seriously.”
On the allegations contained in the In the publication, the Delta South APC leaders said, “For the avoidance of doubt, Chief Bernard Okumagba registered as a bonafide member of the All Progressives Congress, APC in his Ward Okumagba 2 Ward 12, in Warri South Local Government Area on the 6th of January, 2017 with registration and membership number 17949553.” They added that “the fortunes of the party changed from the day Chief Bernard Okumagba registered as a member of the APC in Warri South Local Government Area. As a member of the party in Warri South Local Government Area, he ensured the proper harmonization of the party structures in Warri South Local Government Area when the party was in serious crises and also committed huge funds in ensuring that the party did not suffer in the propagation of its programmes and activities.”
The party leaders also pointed out that Okumagba was a national delegate from Warri South Local Government Area to both the APC National Convention held on June 23rd, 2018, to elect national officers of the party at the Eagle Square in Abuja and on the 6th of October, 2018 for the presidential primaries to endorse the candidature of President Muhammadu Buhari as its presidential flag bearer.
Describing the nomination of Okumagba as well-deserved, fair and equitable as he would be representing the Delta South Senatorial District in the Commission, especially since Delta Central Senatorial District has gotten a ministerial appointment, the Delta South APC leaders expressed its gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari for the appointment, while calling on members of the party “to give Chief Bernard Okumagba the needed support in keying into President Buhari’s Next-Level agenda in transforming the Niger Delta region into the developed region it ought to be.”
The APC leaders added that “the antecedents and credentials of Chief Bernard Okumagba have been attested to by many across board. He is not only a detribalized person but equity, fairness and justice will be his watchword in the performance of his duties as the Managing Director of the NDDC, so let’s all come together and give him the required support he needs to succeed.”
