The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has come under fire for saying that 2022 would be a year of positive beginning for Niger Delta region.

In a statement sent to Vanguard, a group known as Niger Delta Peoples’ Forum (NDPF), Monday tackled Akpabio, saying that he has embarked on another round of diversionary tactics that is not in tandem with the wishes of Niger Deltans regarding NDDC.

According to a statement signed by Chief Boma Ebiakpo, National Chairman, the group, opined that  “Senator Akpabio in his hogwash message deliberately chose to throw up his roundly-rubbished, archaic, and anti-Niger Delta views that violate the law setting up the NDDC, all in a futile attempt to change the narrative of the collective desire of the region, which is that the Board of the Commission should be in place without further delay as we enter 2022.”

In the report published by Independent newspaper, Akpabio was quoted to have said that: “As we prepare to usher year 2022, I pray that it would be a year of a new positive beginning for the Niger Delta Region, where all abandoned projects would be completed and commissioned for the use of the people and where a new development road map would equally be charted for the region through the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the Niger Delta Ministry”.

Calling on Nigerians to continue to pray for their leaders at all levels of governance for them to succeed in office, the statement endorsed by his Chief Press Secretary, Jackson Udom, quoted the Minister as saying, ” Let me congratulate the Christian faithful and the people of the Niger Delta Region on this year’s Christmas celebration. Let me also use this period of the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ to remind all Christians on the need to exhibit all the qualities of Jesus Christ, which are unity, peace and love.”

“Let me specifically thank my brothers and sisters in the Niger Delta Region for the peace we have continued to enjoy in the region and by extension Nigeria. It is my prayer during this yuletide period and the coming new year 2022, that we will continue to maintain this peace and remain solid behind President Muhammadu Buhari, who is doing all within his power to develop the region.”

However, reacting to his message, Niger Delta Peoples’ Forum (NDPF), argued that: “The attention of Niger Delta Peoples’ Forum (NDPF) has been drawn to, yet again, another provocative and diversionary statement by the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, which appeared in Daily Independent of Sunday, December 26, 2021, under the headline, “Akpabio Says 2022 Year of Positive Beginning For Niger Delta Region.”

“It is rather unfortunate and disheartening that Akpabio, who has been Minister of Niger Delta Region and supervising Minister of NDDC since July 2019 is now praying that the “year 2022 will usher in a positive beginning for the Niger Delta region…cause all abandoned projects in the region to be completed.” So what has Akpabio been doing for two and a half years on the saddle, with National Assembly approved budgets of N799 Billion for 2019 and 2020, for NDDC?

“In an obvious and orchestrated plan to divert attention and further take the entire region on another merry-go round, as he has done since 2019, Senator Akpabio in his hogwash message deliberately chose to throw up his roundly-rubbished, archaic, and anti-Niger Delta views that violate the law setting up the NDDC, all in a futile attempt to change the narrative of the collective desire of the region, which is that the Board of the Commission should be in place without further delay as we enter 2022.

“One of the ludicruous and unacceptable diversionary comments by Akpabio in the Daily Independent newspaper report through a statement  signed by his chief Press Secretary, Jackson Udom, include his touted “new development road map…through NDDC.”

“The point has been made by Niger Delta stakeholders, and needs to be restated, that President Buhari needs to redeem himself now that the Forensic audit report has been submitted to him (President Muhammadu Buhari) since September 2, 2021. The President should do well to heed the call of Niger Delta leaders, governors, youths, women, traditional rulers, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders, comply with the law setting up NDDC, and also fulfill his own promise of June 24, 2021, and inaugurate the board to manage the Commission for the benefit of the people of the nine Niger Delta states.

“The latest diversionary attempt by Akpabio to introduce a new narrative that is against the law setting up NDDC, The NDDC Establishment Act of 2000, which is not in tandem with the collective wish of the people, and which contradicts President Buhari’s promise of June 24, 2021 to inaugurate the NDDC Board upon receipt of the forensic audit report, which report he has received since September 2, 2021, should be roundly condemned by all Niger Deltans without equivocation.

“According to Godspower Tamunosusi, in an article published in ThisDay Newspaper of December 17, 2021, “what has happened at the NDDC under the President’s watch is clearly the Capture of the Commission by a cabal, who are deploying its resources to whatever pleases them. Niger Deltans are disillusioned and angry. A broad assemblage of prominent leaders of the Niger Delta including statesmen, top lawyers, civil society organisations, sociopolitical groups and ethnic groups have condemned the continued occupation of the NDDC by these illegal managements yet the President has refused to do the right thing.”

“Consequently, in tandem with the legitimate demands of stakeholders across the Niger Delta region, on November 13, 2021, the Conference of Presidents-General of Niger Delta Ethnic Nationalities (CPGNDEN) met in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State and in the Communique issued after its meeting called on President Muhammadu Buhari “to keep his promise and inaugurate a substantive board for NDDC following the submission of the forensic report, and in line with the law establishing the agency,” noting that the Niger Delta was in dire need of development which the absence of the board has so far stalled.

“In the Communique which was read by its President, Professor Benjamin Okaba, CPGNDEN also contended that the running of the NDDC by a sole administrator was contrary to the law establishing the Commission. Okaba who is also the President of Ijaw National Congress (INC) stated that “the general feeling is that the region has been auctioned off to one man to do with it as he pleases.”  

“Delta State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, who is also Chairman of the South South Governors Forum, also recently stated that “we have made our position clear as South-South Governors. We have spoken about how we feel and it is very unfortu­nate that where we are at the moment, it ought not to be so. We have not had a proper board for over two years now and that is not right. Whatever situation the NDDC is operating with now is unknown to the law of this country”. 

“As Okowa noted: “No matter what is going on, there is a law and there is a need for the Federal Government to do what is right. The provision in the law ensures that there is equity and that no state is short-changed. States are now be­ing deprived of opportunity of having their representative at the board because the various state representatives on the Board are supposed to ensure that the budget of the NDDC is run in the way it ought to be run, with what is due to each state getting to them. That has not been the sit­uation for quite some time. That is why we have always complained. We were told by the Presidency that as soon as the forensic report was submitted, the board will be put in place”.

“Overall, all the negative actions by the Buhari administration in the management of the NDDC in the last two years were recommended by Senator Akpabio to  President Buhari for approval including the administration of the NDDC by Interim management committee / sole administrator which is illegal. 

“So, whatever imaginary “roadmap” that Akpabio dreams about, he needs to be reminded that The NDDC Act has no provision for the ongoing illegality in the Commission’s administration. The NDDC Act only provides that the Board and Management of the NDDC at any point in time should follow the provisions of the law which states that the Board and management is to be appointed by the President, subject to confirmation by the Senate. In effect, nobody is supposed to begin to administer the NDDC and utilise the huge funds accruing to it on a monthly basis without passing through this legal requirement as stipulated in the NDDC Act. To the detriment of the entire region, Senator Akpabio has been using these illegal interim contraptions/sole administrator to fleece the NDDC of its funds in the last two years. 

“We restate that Senator Akpabio, by his numerous illegal actions in the NDDC in the last two years has been de-marketing the APC and the Federal Government. Niger Deltans are very upset with the disdainful manner the region has been treated. There is increasing anger against the Federal Government and the APC in the Niger Delta region as a result of the very poor, biased, illegal and provocative actions of the Federal Government in the handling of matters concerning the NDDC and the Niger Delta region.

“Beyond Senator Akpabio’s puerile attempt at red-herring and unnecessary distraction to change a region’s collective narrative, what is needed at this point is for the Federal Government to redeem itself now that the Forensic audit report has been submitted to President Muhammadu Buhari since September 2, 2021. The President should do well to heed the call of Niger Delta leaders, governors, youths, women, traditional rulers, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders, comply with the law setting up NDDC, and also fulfill his own promise of June 24, 2021, and inaugurate the board to manage the Commission for the benefit of the people of nine Niger Delta states. 

“Indeed, while receiving a delegation of the Ijaw National Congress in Abuja in June this year, President Buhari had said that the Board will be inaugurated once the forensic audit report was submitted. 

The President said: ‘‘Based on the mismanagement that had previously bedeviled the NDDC, a forensic audit was set up and the result is expected by the end of July, 2021. I want to assure you that as soon as the forensic audit report is submitted and accepted, the NDDC Board will be inaugurated.” That report has been submitted to the president since September 2, 2021, yet he has failed to inaugurate the board. 

“On the threshold of 2022, Senator Akpabio should turn a new leaf, desist from unnecessary red-herring, undo the damage he has caused to the region since 2019, hearken to the urgent call and legitimate demands of Niger Delta stakeholders, and get President Muhammadu Buhari to comply with the NDDC Act and inaugurate the NDDC Board without further delay to ensure accountability, checks and balances, probity and equitable representation of the nine constituent states of the Niger Delta region in line with the NDDC Act.”