Delta youths and activists yesterday marched in the streets of Abuja in protest over the recent appointments into the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, and urged President Muhammadu Buhari to comply with existing precedence enshrined in the Act establishing the commission.

It would be recalled that last week; governors of the nine oil-producing states met in Abuja over the NDDC board appointments and condemned what they called the lopsidedness in the exercise.

Expressing their misgivings yesterday, the group urged President Buhari to review the appointments with a view to ensuring that equity is done.

Bearing placards with inscriptions such as “President Buhari save us from corrupt leaders,” “NDDC is for the development of Niger Delta and not for political gains,” among others, the group also said “our people, especially the youths, are not happy with the process that led to the nomination and selection of the new board members of the commission.”

Addressing journalists in Abuja, leader of the group, Alfred Etuk urged President Buhari to rise to the occasion, do the right thing to put an end to the crisis.

He said: “We insist that the government should not play politics with these appointments because it affects directly the lives and well-being of the people. The politicization of sensitive issues as this may not be tolerated by the agitating youths of the region.

“The law establishing the NDDC provides that governors of the nine Niger Delta states should be consulted on the composition of the NDDC Board.”

They pointed out that prominent opinion leaders have already bared their minds on the composition of the new board of the NDDC.

Listing leaders and group that have since kicked against the appointments, Etuk said, “Isoko and Ndokwa leaders in Delta State have rejected the composition of the board, stating that it is a violation of the principle of inclusiveness, saying that two Delta State indigenes-Okumagba, an Urhobo and Prophet Erue Jones, an Isoko-are on the new board. They maintained that Ndokwa was marginalized.

“The paramount ruler of Seimbiri Kingdom and former President of Traditional Ruler of Oil-Producing Communities, Pere Charles Ayemi-Botu; President, Isoko Monitoring Group, Comrade Sabestine Agbefe, and the Vice President General, Ndokwa Neku Union, Chief Tony Uti, said the appointments were made in bad faith.

“Pere Botu asserted that going by the Act establishing the NDDC, Delta state should have been given the chairmanship position which rotates in alphabetic order among the 9 Niger Delta states: Abia, Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, etc. Presently, it is supposed to be the turn of Delta State, but the position was given to Edo state.”

He stressed that the monarch went further to state that “the President does not have listening ears. So, he is not expecting any change from him. But, the fact is that the letter ‘D’ comes before ‘E.’ So, Delta state should have been given the chairmanship position.”

The group further noted that “a lawyer and leader of Ndokwa nation, Chief Henry Uti, said he was “very disappointed with the federal government because it has failed to uphold the policy of he who gives, receives.’

“For over 60 years, Agip has been operating in our land. Except for Professor Eric Opiah, who is a former Chairman of OMPADEC, Ndokwa nation is yet to get an appointment in any agency responsible for the development of oil communities.”

According to Erik, “giving the position of the commissioner to Isokos is also unfair to the Ndokwas because in the past, the Urhobos and Itsekiris have had executive positions as MD and Executive Director of Projects.

“Ijaws have been Executive Directors, Finance and Administration, and Itsekiri has been EDP, even though Tuoyo Omatsuli did not complete his tenure. An Urhobo, Samuel Adjogbe, completed that position.”

He also disclosed that the President of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People, MOSOP, Chief Legborsi Pyagbara, said there is nothing to celebrate in the new appointments.

According to Etuk, Pyagbara said that “the frequent changes by the Federal Government of the persons at the helm of affairs in NDDC do not allow for stability and consistency in policymaking. The Federal Government is simply using NDDC to play politics and not for the technical delivery of projects. The NDDC’s Act is also no longer being strictly adhered to.

“How can NDDC make a difference in the Niger Delta, when the leadership of the Commission is frequently changed?” (Vanguard)