VANGUARD NEWS

A coalition of Niger Delta agitators, weekend, called on governors of South South to work with Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, to develop Niger Delta region and its people.

The group meanwhile, called out governors of Niger Delta states, saying recent revelation by Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, that they (governors) collected N100 million each as Covid-19 palliative has exposed their hypocrisy.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, Senator Patrick Ayo Akinyelure, last week, told reporters in Abuja that NDDC officials told the committee that each of the nine governors of the Niger Delta states got N100 million as Covid-19 palliatives.

Coordinator of the 21st Century Youths of Niger Delta and Agitators with Conscience, 21st CYNDAC, self-professed “General” Izon Ebi, in a statement, yesterday, said “The N100m palliative controversy just raised by the National Assembly indicting the governors of the nine states is another eye opener concerning the hypocrisy of our governors towards the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Akpabio and NDDC.

“We advise the governors to work in synergy with Senator Akpabio, who has demonstrated leadership and given to his people dividends of democracy when he was the governor of Akwa Ibom state, rather than playing politics with the development and well-being of the Niger Delta region and its people.

“The 21st CYNDAC takes exception to the blackmail and derogatory language used by one of the governors of the South- South accusing the minister of sponsoring militants against South- South governors. We never wanted to join issues with our governors but for the sake of posterity and to put records straight. We ask the governor of Rivers State to tell Nigerians how much he gave the 21st CYNDAC when we threatened fresh oil war and asked President Muhammadu Buhari to restrain Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi in March 2019.

“We appeal to governors of South-South to concentrate more energy on their various states and think of how to deliver the dividends of democracy to their people, build industries to employ the unemployed youths, organise meaningful programmes to engage and discourage the idle and unemployed youths from crime and criminality in their various states in order to attract foreign investment to boost their states’ economy.

“We expect the governors to look for an avenue to partner with Senator Akpabio to change the ugly narrative of NDDC and Niger Delta region, ensure the forensic audit sees the light of day and culprits punished for the mismanagement and stealing of N19 trillion meant for the development of the region.”

“They should think more on how to deliver on their campaign promises to elevate the condition of the people from the pathetic plight of Niger Deltans, which is not acceptable after coming out en masse and standing firm, despite intimidation and federal might to make sure they were voted into office as governors.