By Ologeh Joseph
President Bola Tinubu has been urged to appoint former Rivers State Governor, Mr Nyeson Wike as the Minister for the Niger-Delta Affairs
Many observers would see Wike as the most influential political figure in the Niger Delta of today.
In the statement signed by Vanguard for Transparent Leadership and Democracy, (VATLD) its National President
Comrade Igbini Odafe Emmanuel said for over seventy years of Crude Oil Exploration, Exploitation and Exportation from the South-South Geopolitical Zone of Nigeria, the people have continued to cry out to the benefiting Federal Government of Nigeria for commensurate Development and Care for the people and Region.
The group askes President Tinubu to appoint former Governor Nyesom Wike as the next Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and Supervising Minister of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.
The group said “his appointment will surely guarantee to our people and Region, the Constitutional Right to Maximum Welfare, Economic Prosperity, Development, Environmental Care, Freedom and Happiness”
The group said while it is undisputable fact that the Crude Oil from our Region has been and continues to be the main and major source of Wealth, Economic Prosperity, Development and Progress of Nigeria, the story is the direct opposite in our South-South Geopolitical Zone.
“It has been globally confessed and confirmed that we have become the goose that lays the golden, diamond and platinum eggs for Nigeria and some developed Western Countries but sadly left abandoned and uncared for. Multidimensional Poverty and Hopelessness have been on the increase in our Region.”
The group said the East-West Road linking together the six Crude Oil Producing States and used by the Multinational Oil Companies and NNPC in conveying their heavy and massive Equipment to their Oil Locations have been in very deplorable state and now a major death trap to our people
“Some of our Elders and us who have at different times in the past years embarked on Peaceful and Intellectual Campaigns and Advocacy for Care to be extended to our people and Region, were brutally confronted by some persons in privileged positions of Power who misunderstood our plight or deliberately refuse to care about us and our people,” it stated
It said commendable attempts by some previous Federal Government to start addressing our concerns yielded the establishments of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs. But sadly, these attempts have also failed to address our plight largely because of those who were appointed to manage these Commission and Ministry. They lacked Patriotism and Commitment to our people and Region hence these two critical interventionist Agencies have become conduit pipes for few persons to further loot the little funds allocated to our Region
However the amazing and unprecedented Infrastructural and Urban Renewal Revolution embarked on and completed by our dear brother, the Workaholic former Governor Nyesom Wike, in Rivers State and particularly during the global lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic, leaves us with no option but to believe so strongly that he is indeed the most Committed and Patriotic Son of our Region to step in to help address these Challenges in our Region. He is no doubt our RENEWED HOPE for South-South Geopolitical Zone
Happily, President Tinubu has also promised to be the Renew Hope for Nigeria. And of importance to note is the major role played by former Governor Wike in the emergence of Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu as President of Nigeria because of his believe in President Tinubu as source of HOPE for our people.