November 06, (THEWILL) – The Pan Niger Delta Youth Leaders Forum has absolved Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Mr Umana Okon Umana and the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami, of any wrongdoing over the recent appointment of Engr. Emmanuel Audu-Ohwavborua, as the acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
The Niger Delta Youth Leaders, in reaction to the accusation by a group, known as the Ijaw Youth Council Abuja/Northern zone, claimed that the appointment of Emmanuel Audu-Ohwavborua was done with the total consent of President Muhammadu Buhari and in line with the establishment Act setting up the NDDC.
In a statement jointly signed by Atani John and Comrade Olufemi Lawson, its National Coordinator and Secretary respectively, the organisation decried what it termed as the “unceasing campaign of calumny against the Honourable Minister of the Niger Delta and the leadership of the NDDC, by those who have been increasingly uncomfortable, with a new order of Transparency and Accountability, which President Buhari, has successfully restored into the commission.
“It is important to alert Nigerians, particularly our people in the Niger Delta, that these purveyors of falsehood are at work again. This from every observation is coming from the insignificantly few persons, who are hell-bent on converting the NDDC to an institution of personal benefits, rather than such, which meets the collective aspiration of the people of Niger Delta.”
“As Patriots, who are concerned about the urgent need for the further development of our region, we are urging the people of Niger Delta to give peace a chance for the development of the region, as we also urge young people, including those being sponsored under unknown groups, such as the IYC Abuja/Northern zone to desist from actions that are mainly targeted at distracting the NDDC, and the Minister of Niger Delta.”
The organisation further said that the people of Niger Delta would no longer tolerate any form of a campaign of calumny or character assassination of the Minister of Niger Delta, Mr Umana Okon Umana, by any group or individuals, as these are mainly orchestrated by those who are vehemently opposed to the progressive reforms, being currently undertaken by the Buhari administration, through the Honourable Minister in the Niger Delta.
AYO ESAN, has been actively reporting and analyzing political events for different newspapers for over 18 years. He has also successfully covered national and state elections in Nigeria since the inception of this democracy in 1999.
