.

Barely 40 hours to the general elections on Saturday, February 25, 2023, the Eshanekpe Israel a.k.a Akpodoro-led National Coalition of Niger Delta Ex-Agitators, NCNDE-A has thrown its weight behind the presidential ambition of Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima joint ticket today in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

The well attended event was witnesses by a large crowd of ex-militants, youths and persons of Niger Delta extraction including a mammoth crowd of the All Progressives Congress, APC faithful from far and near, a development which lend credence to the overwhelming desire of the excited members of the Coalition at a world press conference addressed by the Coordinator who is also the Mayor of Urhoboland.

In his address, the Mayor described Asiwaju and Shettima joint ticket as the best to happen in the history of democratic experience of Nigerians noting that 2023 is a year religion will be exterminated from the politics of the Nigerian state to pave way for peaceful co-existence among citizens.

According to the statement:

“Our decision to throw our weight behind Asiwaju stands on so many throngs of his achievements over the years right from his days in the trenches of the pro-democracy groups who fought the military junta relentlessly, wrestle them to the ground and won the war gallantly ushering us into the world of democracy which we all are enjoying today.

“While that war raged, our today’s neo-democrats were frolicking with the military to sabotage the efforts at the time. We appreciate his doggedness, patriotism, his can-do spirit and his honesty then and now.

“The Coalition is calling on Nigerians all over the world to support the weird political personality who has elected to serve his nation in good conscience.

“Asiwaju Tinubu has paid his dues and contributed his quota in nation building much better than his opponents who are mere opportunists intending to take advantage of citizens who are mostly suffering amnesia, if not, this political enigma needs no opposition to rule Nigeria.” The statement reads in part.

Akpodoro, who doubles as the President of Urhobo Youths Forum for Change, UYFC, referenced the achievemt of the former Lagos State Government who has been tipped to win the presidential race owing to his popularity according to several polls which pointed in that direction in Lagos State where he rules for two tenures of 8 years saying he left a footprint of massive infrastructural development and economic excellence behind.

“In Lagos, South-West Nigeria, we are witnesses to what Asiwaju met on ground and today we are all proud of what he left behind; a fast growing metropolitan city with the highest GDP in West African sub-region. Asiwaju turned Lagos from being a city of filth to a model of fast growing developing city due to his visionary leadership based on honesty and his unalloyed loyalty to his country and love for humanity.

“We are adopting Asiwaju today in the spirit of equity, fairness and national solidarity to enthrone in 2023, a leadeship that will renew the hope of Nigerians and set it on the path of national recovery.

“He has shown over the years that, he is a statesman with an unbeaten record of excellence of ideas, the capacity to run a nation, eradicate poverty, build human capacity, stem insecurity, build a prosperous nation, fight corruption, grow and develop the Nigerian youth population, breath life into the nation’s economy, attract foreign/direct investment in his giant strides like he did in Lagos.” The Coalition averred, adding that;

“Tinubu will immediately after assuming office with the mandate of the Nigerian people, end the naira restriction to exit Nigerians from the prevailing hardship, open the floodgate for new redesigned naira notes to co-exist with old ones to cushion the effects of the sufferings of the Nigerian masses.

“The Coalition is proudly speaking the minds of its followers across the South-South region in the adoption of Candiate Asiwaju and his runningmate, Kashim Shettima. We are calling on all good people of the Delta region to support our resolve to ethrone Asiwaju’s Presidency that has been long overdue. A presidency that won’t pander to nepotism, tribalism, ethnic supremacy, corruption, administrative lethergy, cluelessness, religious bigotry but will treat Nigerians equally thereby exiting the nation from the woods of ethnic and religious agitations.

“In Asiwaju’s Presidency, the Coalition sees a united and uplifted people who will proudly fly the flag of Nigerian nationalism and harvest the inherent strength in our national diversity and build solidarity and patriotism.

“Ladies and gentlemen, today, on behalf of the teeming followers of our Coaltion, I endorse the candidacy of Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, GCON.

“May this day be our witness before the entire world that ours is not just one of the verbal endorsements but we shall put in our best practically by mobilising Niger Delta electorates, deliver our polling units to the man who enjoys the special grace of God almighty – the Jagaban Borgu.

“From this moment on, our members shall roll out our supportive arsenals to deliver our incoming President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“I call on all ex-militants, youths and persons in the Delta region to work for our Messiah whom God has shown mercy to lead our nation to the promised land.
Asiwaju is the man with the midas torch, we so ENDORSE HIM,” the vociferous Mayor of Urhoboland stated.