ODAHIEKWU OGUNDE, Yenagoa
Ijaw youths have warned suspected sponsors and blackmailers of Mr Simbi Wabote, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), over alleged perjury and unfounded charges to stop forthwith or face unpleasant consequences.
The youths, under the auspices of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, made the threat in a statement issued on Monday by its national spokesman, Comrade Ebilade Ekerefe.
Wabote has been in the eye of the storm recently over calls that he be removed by President Muhammadu Buhari over allegations by some persons that he committed perjury by breaching the Code of Conduct for public officers.
Ekerefe noted that IYC observed that in the last few weeks, there had been deliberate dropping of reports by some traducers over alleged perjury and unfounded charges against Wabote.
Ekerefe said: “While we observed and carried out discreet investigation into the sources of the unfounded, wicked and baseless allegations on some news sites, we discovered that the smear campaign against Wabote are sponsored.
“They are sponsored by those who are threatened by Wabote’s rising global profile as a result of his unprecedented performance and achievements in the oil and gas sector since he took over as the ES under President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration hence the anger and the campaign of calumny by mischief-makers.
“The IYC wants to put it on record that we are proud to stand up anywhere to defend Wabote’s honour as a hard-working, committed and upright Ijaw man. We will resist any attempt by these symbols of corruption to sponsor smear campaign against his person and his years of achievements that are visible even to the blind in Nigeria and Africa.
“We are proud to say it was under Simbi Wabote’s watch that various achievements were recorded in the oil and gas industry under President Buhari. He ensured that the NCDMB corporate headquarters located in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, was completed and inaugurated.
“Also, the board ensured the investment in the composite cylinder factory, completion of 10MW power plant, establishment of FPSO integration facility, initiated project 100 initiative, construction of oil and gas parks scheme and the creation of $350m Integration Fund. “Wabote’s activities in the oil and gas industry has re-affirmed the ‘Giant of Africa’ position on the continent with the enabling 50 per cent domiciliation of $12b NLNG Train 7 project, promotion of African local content and the introduction of Nigerian Content 10-year strategic road map.”
Ekerefe called on those dissident Niger Delta people who had become tools in the hands of the corrupt elements and specialists in the “pull him down” campaign to stop or they would move all out to make lives unbearable for them in their homes and communities.
He called on President Buhari not to allow the sponsored attacks on Wabote to stand.
He said that Ijaw youths in the states of the Niger Delta was ready to stage a peace rally to warn those involved in the frivolous, unwarranted and libelous allegations to desist or face the anger of the youths of the region.