ODAHIEKWU OGUNDE, Yenagoa
A pan-Ijaw group, the Movement for the Survival of Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta, has asked the Minister of the Niger Delta, Senator Godswill Akpabio, to resign without further delay for alleged underperformance.
MOSIEND said the non-performance of the minister included but was not limited to highhandedness, lack of transparency and treacherous style of managing the MNDA and the NDDC for over two years running.
The group in a statement on Wednesday by its National Secretary, Ambassador Winston Cottrell, described Akpabio’s tenure as allegedly the worst when compared with his predecessors.
He claimed the region had not seen any tangible infrastructure or sustainable policy framework that was targeted at promoting socio-economic sustainability and infrastructure development.
Cottrel noted that that up until date, the NDDC had received well over N799billion from 2019 budget to 2020 budget, yet, the region still suffered gross underdevelopment with nothing to show for it.
He stated, “This is the first time that the Presidency has given full powers to the ministry to supervise the NDDC.
“Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019 formally transmitted a letter to the Minister of Niger Delta, giving him the full power to supervise the commission, a move that was targeted at accelerating development and democratic dividends if Akpabio was a sincere person enough.
“Akpabio’s reckless abandonment of the region for his selfish and personal gain can no longer be tolerated, hence, MOSIEND is liaising with other sister organisations that share the same opinion and are tired of the impunity of the minister to continue to siphon the ministry and the region with every means necessary at its beck and call.
“MOSIEND is going to engage all known forms of civil disobedience to compel Akpabio to resign. As it is now, the most important move to salvage the Niger Delta is to ensure that Akpabio resigns without being booted out of office for his own good.
“Akpabio’s manipulative tendency is becoming unbearable; it is a move to create disaffection among groups and disorganize the region. If not checked, the development will cause a breakdown of law and order soon.
“We wonder why the security agencies such as the Department of State Service are not furnishing the Presidency of the tension brewing in the region as a result of the unnecessary delay.”