Group Warns Akpabio Over Exclusion Of Edo State From NDDC Entitlements

...Issues 72 Hours Ultimatum, Shuts Edo NDDC Office in Benin

By Simeon OSAJIE

The Niger-Delta Development Commission (NDDC) office in Benin City, Edo State capital was temporary closed down on Friday, 12th March, 2021 to operations, as a group known as Edo Restoration Movement  issued a 72 hours ultimatum to the Minister of Niger-Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio to resign over what it tagged 'Exclusion of Edo State from the NDDC Board.'

The group protesting at the NDDC Office along Murtala Muhammad Way in Benin City carried placards with different inscriptions: "IMC IS ILLEGAL IN NDDC ACT". "WE ARE GIVING AKPABIO 72 HOURS TO RESIGN", LET AKPABIO HAND OFF THE MANAGEMENT OF NDDC", NDDC STOP MARGINALIZING EDO STATE, "CONSTITUTE NDDC BOARD NOW, amongst others.

Speaking, Secretary-General of Edo Restoration Movement (ERM),  Comrade Ben Bowei, aka Lord Mayor of Niger-Delta said the youths are there to take over the NDDC office in Benin City because of marginalization of Edo State by NDDC.  He said the marginalization must stop, emphasising that the Interim NDDC Board should be dissolved and a legally constituted board should take over the management of the commission.

"We are here to take over the NDDC office, because Edo State has been marginalized by NDDC and this must not be allowed to continue. We are here to put a stop  to this injustice, We are part of the Niger-Delta. Edo State is the 5th oil producing state and the 3rd largest producer of gas in Nigeria.

"What about the board? Till now, Edo State has not produced the Chairman nor Managing Director of the Board. Edo should be considered for the position of the Managing Director of the Board.

"Recently, the Minister of Niger-Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio went round the Niger-Delta states, but excluded Edo State. We are giving Godswill Akpabio 72 hours to visit Edo and talk to us or resign, if he fails to listen to our demand, he should resign, if not, we will shut the East-West Road," he warned.

Also, speaking, the Publicity Officer of the group,  Arch. Thaddeus Irabor said, the group was there to  send a signal to the authority on what they will do if their plights ate not addressed.

"We are here to send a signal, we are giving Akpabio 72 hours ultimatum to resign, so that a legal constituted board can take over the management of the NDDC, the peace loving people of Edo State has been taken for granted, we  want him to resign, not because we have anything personal against him, but because Edo state has been marginalized. We want to say that we can bite and even crack the bone, we will not only shut the East-West Road, we will shut all oil installations in Edo State.

"We are calling on Akpabio to stop using the NDDC fund for his personal use," he emphasized.

On his part, another member of the group. Hon. Efosa Eghianruwa said the illegally constituted board of the Commission should henceforth desist from marginalizing Edo State or face the youths of Edo State.

"This is a warning especially to the illegally constituted board by Akpabio, he is doing this because of his personal ambition, we are giving Akpabio 72 hours for a rightful board to be constituted, and after the 72 hours nothing is done, he will surely  hear from us," he concluded.