The Niger Delta Elders Forum has dismissed the proposed meeting between Niger Delta Minister, Senator Godswill Akpabio and presidents of various ethnic nationality youth groups in the nine Niger Delta stated, describing it as an attempt to buy time to perpetuate the interim management set up in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

A statement by Chief Tonye Ogbogbula, National President, accused the minister of trying to use mushroom associations to frustrate the agiration by youths in Niger Delta for the inauguration of the NDDC board, insisting that no authentic and established youth group from the zone will attend such meeting.

The group said topshots of the Ministry of Niger Delta have been shopping for “portfolio associations” that are ready to praise and endorse every action of Akpabio.

It said the authentic Niger Delta groups are angry that Akpabio has, for one year, not only failed to conclude the forensic audit of the NDDC as promised but also refused to inaugurate the commission’s board.

The group condemned the action of one Niger Delta Ethnic Nationalities Youth Council, which recently passed a vote of confidence in Akpabio, saying this does not represent the feelings in the region.

“These unknown youth groups do not represent the leadership of the ethnic nationalities of the Niger Delta states. For the avoidance of doubt, the authentic leadership of the Niger Delta ethnic groups have spoken clearly on these matters and they align with the central position of the Pan-Niger Delta Foundation, PANDEF, Niger Delta Governors, statesmen and people, that Akpabio is deceiving the president,” the group said.

The Niger Delta Elders Forum said there was no going back on the demand for inauguration of the NDDC board as outlined by South South governors.

It insisted that the NDDC board should be inaugurated to end the illegality going on as there is no provision for interim management.

The group said beginning from October 2019, when Akpabio announced the appointment of an Interim Management Committee, he has been shifting the goalposts as he set up two Interim Management Committees (IMCs) and sacked them, while appointing an Interim Sole Administrator in their place.

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“First, it was to stay for six months and allow for the conduct of a forensic audit, but now it has taken over 20 months, with fresh excuses every step of the way,” it said.

The group said the “evidence is that there is absolutely no reason not to put the board in place while the forensic audit is ongoing. This is the crux of the matter. Why can’t the board be put in place? The forensic audit is about the past and the incoming board members did not run the NDDC during the past period which is the subject of the forensic audit,” it said.

It alleged that NDDC has become a worst example of public sector corruption, with “over N800 billion wasted on frivolous, self-centred expenditure, financial recklessness and mismanagement.”

The elders forum alleged that not a single project has been executed in any of the states since the interim management arrangement, as funds coming into the Commission for the development of the nine constituent states are being frittered away.

The group said it was absurd that the board members nominated by President Muhammadu Buhari and cleared by the Senate has not been inaugurated since 2019, declaring: “The Niger Delta people are sick and tired of Akpabio’s manipulations while the NDDC shirks its primary duty to spur the development of the region, which is why there is popular support across the region for the current protests.”

It urged President Buhari to listen to the voices of the people and direct that the board of the NDDC be inaugurated immediately.

“We urge President Buhari and the Federal Government to heed the demands of the Niger Delta people by inaugurating the NDDC Governing Board to replace the current illegal contraption of a “Sole Administrato,” it said.