The Niger Delta Ex-Militant Agitators (NDEA) yesterday accused President Muhammadu Buhari of neglecting the oil-rich region and its people, saying that he regards the region as a colonised territory.

The group vehemently opposed Buhari’s plan to double as Petroleum Minister, saying that Nigerians voted for him to be President and not Petroleum Minister. It emphasised that the Petroleum Minister must come from the Niger Delta region.

NDEA made its position known in a statement signed by the Coordinator, General Pere Ejune, entitled ‘Mr. President, DEMAND FOR PETREOLEUM MINISTER’. Said the group in the statement issued in Abuja: “It is crystal clear to us that the President does not regard the Niger Delta people as a part of Nigeria. And it is obvious to us that the Northerners wanted the presidency because of the oil from the Niger Delta.

“We the Niger Delta militants vehemently object to President Muhammad Buhari arrogating the Minister of Petroleum to himself. The Niger Delta people cannot concede the president to the North and also the Petroleum Minister.”

NDEA stated that 95 per cent of Nigeria’s wealth comes from the Niger Delta, therefore, “we are entitled to produce a petroleum minister, no matter which region the president comes from.”

It issued a week’s ultimatum to President Buhari, saying: “The era of marginalisation is over and the Federal Character policy must be implemented. We will not fold pour arms and die in poverty, due to the plundering of our natural resources and degradation of our environment.

“Buhari’s action shows that he is not here to fight corruption, but to perpetuate domination, and there will be no transparency in the petroleum ministry. From his appointment, it is obvious that the president from the North is insensitive to the south, especially the Niger Delta Region.”

•Photo shows President Buhari.