By DANIEL GUMM

WARRI – THE Itsekiri ethnic nationality has described the recent media report on infrastructural development in Itsekiriland by Elder Godsday Orubebe, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, as a “face-saving device.”

National President of Itsekiri National Youths Council, INYC, Mr. David Tonwe, who spoke to Vanguard, yesterday, said: “Elder Orubebe has used his office against the Itsekiri people in a manner that depicts a situation whereby the bloody inter-ethnic crises between the Ijaw and Itsekiri in Delta State between 1997 and 2004 had shifted to Abuja, where Ijaw political officers are now fully in charge.”

He said the Minister was on a vendetta mission against the Itsekiri people and had made no pretence about it since President Goodluck Jonathan replaced Chief Uffot Ekaette with him (Orubebe) as the boss of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.

Tonwe said since then, Orubebe and his tribesmen at the federal level have made no pretence in creating the impression and misleading the Nigerian populace and international community that the Niger Delta region is synonymous with their Ijaw.

He said during the presidency of late Umaru Yar’Adua, with Chief Ekaette as the senior Minister in the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, “40 housing units were earmarked for the crises ravaged areas in Warri and environs in 2009.

Guided by the principle of equity and fairness, Chief Ekaette assigned 20 to Ijaw and 20 to the Itsekiri, respectively. For the 20 allotted to the Itsekiri, the Warri Monarch directed that they should be built in Ode-Itsekiri in Warri South and immediately provided enough land.

“On the assumption of office, Chief Orubebe immediately cancelled the share allotted to the Itsekiri and added same to the 20 already allotted to the Ijaw with the excuse that the Itsekiri was to be considered in the second phrase. The said ‘second phrase’ has since then remained amirage.”