The Niger-Delta Youth Assembly (NDYA) has described the recent media attack by the Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, on President Goodluck Jonathan and the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Chief Godswill Akpabio, as an attack on the Niger Delta people.

In a statement released in Port Harcourt and signed by the President, Comrade Ben Jaja, and Secretary, Mr. Joseph Tenelaibe, the group strongly condemned a media report where Governor Kwankwaso was quoted to have described President Jonathan as “evil” and Governor Akpabio as a “vulture.”

According to NDYA, the resort by Governor Kwankwaso to gutter language, in describing leaders from the Niger Delta, may have been borne out of the political frustration that the nation is presently being piloted by a Niger Deltan and a devious plot to distract their leaders from their transformation programmes.

Said NDYA: “The reference by Governor Kwankwaso to the bowler hats, a common dress symbol of the Niger Delta people and popularly won by President Jonathan, as “hat of evil” shows the disdain that he has for the Niger Delta people. This scornful attitude also exposes his ‘born-to-rule’ mindset.

“Kwankwaso’s allusion to Governor Akpabio as a ‘vulture’ is nothing short of vituperation borne out of irritation with the role of Governor Akpabio in galvanizing support for President Jonathan and singing the song of one Nigeria with political equity.

“We know for a fact that the people of Akwa Ibom North-East have urged Governor Akpabio and he has accepted to represent them at the Senate in 2015. So it is Kwankwaso’s contrivance that Governor Akpabio is eyeing the Presidency. It is a badly rehashed attempt to create a rift between our leaders and leave the President vulnerable to the political antics of those who believe it is their birthright to rule Nigeria.

“If we may ask, what has been the exceptional achievement of Governor Kwankwaso in alleviating the extreme poverty in Kano State which has seen an upsurge of the Almajiri syndrome? Why is he belly-aching about the Uncommon Transformation which Governor Akpabio has unleashed in Akwa Ibom State?

“If anyone could be described as a vulture, the person is Kwankwaso, who is eyeing the Presidency with the sole agenda of preying on the resources of the Niger Delta. Recall that this man has been involved a failed crusade to deny the people of the Niger Delta of their resources through his well orchestrated campaign for the abrogation of the onshore/offshore oil dichotomy.

“It is only a political vulture that would prey on the campaign funds meant for delegates from Kano State, all in a bid to frustrate a Niger Deltan out of power as recently revealed by the President. He should respond to this instead of engaging in this political subterfuge.”

NDYA advised President Jonathan and Governor Akpabio not to be deterred by “the antics of a frustrated political adversary who is out to fan the embers of disunity” while pledging to always support their leaders in delivering their mandates.

•Photo shows Governor Kwankwaso.

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