NDDC EDP POSITION: THE DANGEROUS, DIVERSIONARY AND ABUSIVE PROPAGANDA BY UPM, URHOBO YOUTH COUNCIL, UYC AS WELL AS ITS BIGOTRY ALLIES, AGAINST THE LEGITIMATE AGITATION BY ITSEKIRI AGGRIEVED APC MEMBERS -WHY REASON SHOULD PREVAIL

ITSEKIRI NATIONAL YOUTH COUNCIL, INYC                                                                        

                                                                                                                                                                                   AUGUST 23, 2016

The President and Commander In-Chief

Federal Republic of Nigeria

Muhammadu Buhari

Aso Rock Villa

Abuja,

Your Excellency

NDDC EDP POSITION: THE DANGEROUS, DIVERSIONARY AND ABUSIVE PROPAGANDA BY UPM, URHOBO YOUTH COUNCIL, UYC AS WELL AS ITS BIGOTRY ALLIES, AGAINST THE LEGITIMATE AGITATION BY ITSEKIRI AGGRIEVED APC MEMBERS -WHY REASON SHOULD PREVAIL

It’s most unfortunate that at a time when your administration is regrettably burdened with the task of completely defeating the Boko Haram insurgency, rescuing the Chibok girls, ending the renewed criminality and economic sabotage in the Niger Delta which has reared its ugly head in the guise of militancy, some persons with pecuniary and selfish ethnic sentiment have chosen to make a dangerous trade out of the nomination for the EDP Position in the proposed Board of the NDDC.

Mr. President, we would rather not bother you with issues we strongly believe your administration may have detailed the relevant Ministry, Department and Agencies,  MDAs to handle in a logical manner after the Itsekiri Aggrieved APC Members made their passionate appeal known in the most peaceful and legitimate approach, regarding the nomination of Engr. Adogbe Ajenakevwe Samuel as the next Executive Director Projects, EDP in the proposed Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC Board, but sponsored advertorials by some ethnic bigots whose choice of words are to say the least: inciting, insulting, diversionary and capable of igniting ethnic strife in Delta State have made it imperative to write you this open letter.

The manner with which these suspicious elements turn ethnic propagandists have continually sponsor advertorials running into millions of naira on the pages of newspapers and even electronic media for the NDDC, ED position which is yet to undergo the necessary ratification by the National Assembly, nay The Senate, only makes one believe that if the appointment is finally confirmed, the position may become another source of looting of public treasury, instead of the needed development people of Niger Delta and indeed Nigerians strongly desire. Apparently, if Olorogun O’tega Emerhor had not misled some political bigwigs into the nomination of Engr. Adjogbe Ajenakevwe Samuel as the next NDDC EDP, the whole controversy in the exercise would not have emanated. This largely accounts for why other nominations were peaceful, but the case is not the same for the position of EDP, which has attracted undue publicity in the form of congratulatory messages for a man who is yet to be screened by the Senate and sworn into office.

Sir, advertorials authored in the Vanguard Newspaper of Friday August 5, 2016, Monday August 8, 2016 and Wednesday August 17, 2016 by a so called Niger Delta Ideological Forum for Peace and Development, a certain Urhobo Political Movement, UPM and Urhobo Youth Council respectively, regarding the legitimate protests against the nomination of Engr. Adjogbe Ajenakevwe Samuel as the next EDP in NDDC are most unfortunate, ridiculous, laced with illogical references to confuse gullible minds and a calculated attempt to fester ill sentiments between the Urhobo Nation and their Itsekiri neighbours, for an issue members of Itsekiri National Youth Council, INYC consider mere disagreement between Olorugun O’Tega Emerhor and Delta State APC Chairman, Prophet Jones Erue versus Itsekiri members of the APC, who rightly feel short-changed in the NDDC nomination.

Most disturbing was when the so called Urhobo Political Movement, UPM dragged Our Exalted Monarch, His Majesty, Ogiame Ikenwoli into the trivia arguments on who should rightly occupy the EDP Position in the proposed NDDC Board. That singular act was an insult taken too far for what ordinarily should be an All Progressives Congress, APC internal affair. If people ridicule their Monarch by playing cheap politics with their Traditional Throne, Itsekiri people, especially we, the members of Itsekiri National Youth Council won’t tolerate such disrespect and certainly will not allow anyone or faceless group toy with Our Monarch. Our revered King, The Olu of Warri, Ogiame Ikenwoli made couple of trips to Monarchs of Urhobo, Ijaw and Yoruba extractions few months after he was Crowned. The courtesy visits underscore the peaceful disposition of the Itsekiri people and the extent to which Our King wants to consolidate on the mutual relationship between the Itsekiris and our neighbours, hence no one should misconstrue our desire to live peacefully with others as weakness. It is also imperative to stress that the determination to strike improved relationship with our ethnic neighbours does not mean that the Itsekiris will continue to sacrifice what rightly belong to us in the name of peaceful co-existence.

Your Excellency, rather than address position clearly hinged on the NDDC Act; S. 5 (2) which states inter-alia “where a vacancy occurs in the membership of the Board, it shall be filled by the appointment of a successor to hold Office for the remainder of the term of Office of his predecessor, so however, that the successor shall represent the same interest and shall be appointed by The President, Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces subject to the Confirmation of The Senate in Consultation with House of Representatives,” as well as “references to similar cases of premature dissolution of the Board of NDDC as evident in the past when prominent appointees of Urhobo extraction were affected”, authors of the irresponsible advertorials took on a voyage of mudslinging, disparaging comments and crisis laden statements. We beg to recall Mr. President, “when Engr. Godwin Omene an Urhobo could not complete his 4-year tenure as Managing Director, MD of NDDC Board, Senator Aguariavwodo Edesiri Emmanuel completed it. This was after an Urhobo group, Niger Delta Forum petitioned the Federal Government, calling for the appointment of another MD of Urhobo stock for NDDC. A call the Itsekiris added their voices to at that time and was published in the Vanguard Newspaper of October 14, 2003.

Sir, the Itsekiri Aggrieved APC members made other similar references in their petition earlier forwarded to you, hence no need to belabor you with unnecessary repetition. It is rather erroneous that despite branding the agitations in vexatious expressions such as “mere exercise in futility, an art of wizardry, false alarm and wickedness in environment where peace and harmony reign supreme”, “the Nigerian Senate to (should) discountenance the Itsekiri thoughtless agitation” and they “want President Buhari (Your Excellency) to follow an unsustainable old order that even a PDP government that introduced it did not follow to the letter”, the three sponsored advertorials failed to define. “what the same interest in the NDDC Act” refers to and even contradicted itself by making references to appointments in the non-existent OMPADEC, after accusing the Itsekiri Aggrieved APC Members of dwelling in the past. Itsekiri Youths Worldwide strongly believe that the grouse of the Itsekiris in APC is not against the Urhobo Nation, but to legitimately resist perceived injustice which they have done in the most civilized way.

It’s however unfortunate that these self-centred elements have resorted to dragging a political party based misunderstanding to a height that is capable of causing ethnic crisis.

Mr. President, the afore-stated advertorials described the Itsekiri APC Members as “selfish and greedy”. Probably their definition of justice is feasting on the rights and privileges of other neighbours, a trade they have practiced since Delta State was created from the defunct Bendel State. While they mentioned appointments in the defunct OMPADEC as bases for their irrational arguments, they deliberately ignored the fact that an Urhobo brother, Dr. Steve Oru once held sway as Minister of Niger Delta Affairs in the Ministry that could not complete a single project for 8 years of its existence. UPM, Niger Delta Ideological Forum For Peace and Development as well as Urhobo Youth Council may have to be reminded in case they forget that Itsekiri Nation is the second largest producer of Crude Oil and Gas in Nigeria after the Ijaws and appointments into development-driven interventionist agencies like DESOPADEC, NDDC and even the defunct OMPADEC are based on the quantum of Crude Oil production and not by population as insinuated when they stated, “Delta Central parades the highest cluster of people in the State (Delta) yet does not enjoy commensurate political patronage and community development”.

Members of Itsekiri National Youth Council, INYC therefore take strong exception to the statement made by Urhobo Youth Council in their advertorial where it stated that, “the Itsekiri comprises of the smallest of the smallest ethnic national (sic) in the Delta South and by default in the entire oil producing area (sic) of the state.”  This singular statement either speaks of deep ignorance of the production quantum of each ethnic nationality in Delta State or a deliberate attempt to ridicule the Itsekiri Nation, such irresponsible comments will not be accepted by members of the INYC subsequently. It is vitally important at this juncture to remind these ethnic jingoists that the Itsekiri Nation spreads across some local government areas in Delta Central Senatorial District and even parts of Edo State as well as beyond. As always we know that their propaganda against the Itsekiri Nation as it affects our true population status will change once the next general election approaches.

We want to use this medium to appeal to ethnic bigots not to turn internal disagreement in Delta State All Progressives Congress, APC into an ethnic crisis between Urhobo and Itsekiris. The mutual respect as well as neighbourliness we enjoy should not be politicized.

Permit us Sir, to also leverage on this opportunity to correct a misconception by sponsors of one of the advertorials that the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company, WRPC as well as the Nigerian Gas Company are situated in Urhobo area. For the avoidance of doubt, WRPC and Nigerian Gas Company are situated in lands owned by Ubeji, an Itsekiri Community in Warri South Local Government Area, Delta State. Legal documents attesting to the facts of the true owners of land hosting WRPC and Nigerian Gas Company are available for clarifications. No one should make inflammatory remarks that will abort the peaceful co-existence between the Itsekiris of Ubeji and their Ekpan Urhobo brothers.

Your Excellency, as a man whose administration is anchored on Fairness, Justice and the Rule of Law, we are trusting that you will not be swayed by blackmail and crisis-laden advertorials, but will rely on reason and merit as far as appointment into the EDP Position of the proposed NDDC Board is concerned.

Thanks and God bless.

Comrade Esimaje Awani                                             

President, Itsekiri National Youth Council, INYC       

Comrade Humphrey Tuoyo  

Secretary, INYC

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