Urhobo Leader Condemns Protests Against NDDC Board
Warri – Former National Treasurer of the Urhobo Progress Union, Chief Francis Atanomeyovwi has taken a swipe at the attitude of a section of the political class who he said are fighting a lost battle against the nomination of Chief Bernard Okumagba as Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.
Atanomeyovwi emphasised that the four ethnic groups in Delta South are entitled to privileges accruing to the people of District.
Chief Atanomeyovwi pointed out that the immediate past Commissioner on the NDDC Board, Ogaga Ifowodo ‘’is from the Isoko nation, while the current nominee, Prophet Jones Erue is also from Isoko, all in Delta South. Chief Bernard Okumagba, an Urhobo is also from Delta South. I wonder why some persons from the south District are complaining whereas, we in Delta Central should be the one complaining.
‘’In Delta South, an Ijaw is the Senator, while an Itsekiri is the immediate past Governor of Delta State who served for 8 years. An Ijaw man in the person of Prof Victor Peretomonode had also served as Commissioner on the NDDC Board. Chief Emma Ogidi, Chief Solomon Ogba, and Val Arenyika, an Itsekiri had also served as NDDC Commissioner. Elder P.Z Aginighan also served as Executive Director, Finance and Administration on the NDDC Board before serving as Acting Managing Director. Mr. Tuoyo Omatsuli, an Itsekiri also served as Executive Director, Projects on the NDDC Board. In all of these, no Urhobo man was considered. This is the only time an Urhobo man from Delta South is being considered for such an exalted position. The protest from the few disgruntled elements in Delta South is therefore misplaced and totally unacceptable’’, Chief Atanomeyovwi added.
He commended President Muhammadu Buhari for standing for fairness and equity in the distribution of appointments in his administration, assuring that aside the ineffectual protest from those elements for their selfish interests, the people of Delta state are generally happy with the appointments.
Chief Atanomeyovwi also condemned the APC Governors who attended the meeting where some Niger-Delta Governors with Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State as Convener and Spokesman, stood against the constitution of the new NDDC Board, warning that such attitude could be misconstrued to be a stance against Mr. President and the ruling party.
