THE GUARDIAN

A Niger Delta group, yesterday, canvassed immediate sack of Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, over what they it described to as his ‘mafia’ approach in handling the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) since assuming office.

It warned it had made up its mind to restore the NDDC as the most formidable agency for youth transformation in the region, adding: “It is a war of destiny for the Niger Delta youths.”

Speaking under the auspices of the Uhrobo/Isoko Alliance for Niger Delta Advancement (UIANDA), it urged Akpabio to stop his mafia approach, which had worsened the already tensed atmosphere in the Niger Delta region.

A statement issued by Comrade Oghenerome Justice accused Akpabio of using the NDDC to sponsor his Vice Presidential ambition in 2023 and urged Akpabio to stop resisting the inauguration of a substantive board for the NDDC now that the ovation was loudest and stop making enemies in the region.

While commending the Federal Government for sanitising the NDDC, Oghenerome said: “We must work together to instill constitutionality of the commission by constituting the board and making public findings of the forensic audit.

“We caution Akpabio against sending a new nomination list of NDDC Board members to President Muhammadu Buhari under as his choice of MD of NDDC is to bank rolling his vice presidential ambition campaign.”

The group charged President Buhari to reject fresh nominations from Akpabio for the NDDC board, especially after disobeying the presidential directive on inauguration of the board and recommended his outright sack for better development of the Niger Delta region.

It also cautioned members of the National Assembly against receiving bribes from Akpabio as their actions could cause crisis in the region, adding: “Try to ask Akpabio why the youths and people of the region are crying for his removal. This is beyond politics.