- As Urhobo, Ijaw Groups Repose Confidence In Bernard Okumagba
First military administrator of Abia State and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) in Delta State, Air Vice Marshall Frank Ajobena (rtd), has waded into the Niger Delta Development Commission, (NDDC) board subject matter.
The retired Air Vice Marshall said that Delta is entitled to the position of the Managing Director of the Commission as already screened and confirmed by the Senate.
He also stressed that this is coming against the background of the support canvassed by the youths, asking the federal government to inagurate the board confirmed by the Senate.
Ajobena who spoke exclusively to The New Diplomat in his country home, Mereje, Okpe Local Government Area on Wednesday noted that Delta is even entitled to more positions than it currently have on the board.
Meanwhile, agitations for the inauguration of the already screened and confirmed board of the Commission continue to mount with Urhobo and Ijaw groups calling on the federal government to inaugurate the Odubu/Okumagba-led board without further delay.
The Urhobo Progress Union, UPU Ex-Youth Wing Leaders (Ighele Urhobo) made the call in a statement signed by its Acting President, Hon. Kingsley Oke, Acting Secretary, Collins Ochirue and Publicity Secretary, Mr. Godfrey Egbevwie.
The group called on the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Mr. Godswill Akpabio, the governors and people of the region to jettison the idea of generating a fresh nomination, noting that making up a new list of nominees would lead to a manipulation of the process and violate relevant provisions of the Act which set up the Commission.
According to the group, constituting a new nomination list different from what the Senate had already screened and confirmed will breed another confrontation and crises amongst the various ethnic nationalities.
While commending the intervention of High Chief Government Ekpemupolo (aka Tompolo) for the Minister of Niger Delta, Mr. Akpabio to do the needful and inaugurate the board, the Urhobo youth group also acknowledged the position of the Traditional Rulers and different ethnic nationalites across the Niger Delta for voicing their resentments against the imposition of an interim management committee and interim sole-administrator on the Commission.
It however called on all Urhobo Traditional Rulers, elites, Presidents Generals and Youth Leaders to speak with one voice to ensure that the already nominated and screened persons with their son’s name, “Chief Bernard Okumagba who is from an-oil producing of Delta State to be inaugurated without delay.
In a related development, the youth body of Udu kingdom in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State has reinstated its confidence in the credibility, qualification and competence of Olorogun Bernard Okumagba, already screened and confirmed by the Senate as Managing Director of the NDDC board.
Addressing newsmen at Otor-Udu in Udu Local Government Area recently, the youth leader of the kingdom, Comrade Esiefarienrhe, described Okumagba as a son of the soil, adding that his mother, Chief (Mrs.) Dorcas Owhofaraye Okumagba is from the Udu Kingdom.
Esiefarienrhe added that “Udu which is the maternal home of Okumagba, plays host to OML 34, 65 and Utorogu Gas plant, the biggest Gas plant in West Africa which is provide gas for more than 80% power generation in Nigeria.”
He said, “Udu has been contributing hugely to the economy of this country without anything to show for it. Our roads are in bad state, no infrastructural amenities. Presently the construction of the 3rd phase of the Mega gas plant in Udu land is ongoing. We have not at any time disrupted or shut down their activities despite the marginalization we have experienced.
“No Udu son has been appointed into the NDDC Board since its establishment in the year 2000 to meet the yearnings and aspirations of the deprived oil and Gas producing Communities of the Niger Delta people.
“When President Muhammadu Buhari eventually nominated our son, Olorogun Bernard Okumagba as Managing Director, MD of the Board, we did thank President Buhari and the National Assembly members for their speedy action and subsequent confirmation of the Board Members now awaiting swearing-in by the President.
“We state here categorically that anyone from the Niger Delta region who goes against the generally-accepted appointment of Okumagba is an enemy of the Niger Delta region because Olorogun Bernard Okumagba has what it takes to pilot the NDDC towards achieving the Developmental goals of the Board for our beloved Niger Delta Region.
“We therefore call on President Buhari to inaugurate the Board, an action that has been delayed for a while now. We urge Mr. President to inaugurate the NDDC Board already screened and confirmed by the Nigerian Senate since November 2019” he concluded.
