Niger Delta Ex-agitators Forum has called on
President Goodluck Jonathan to as a matter of urgency, sack the minister of
petroleum resources, Deziani Alison-Madueke and her counterpart in the Niger
Delta Affairs ministry, Godsday Orubebe for non performance and highhandedness.
National President of the Forum, Hon. Prince Amaibi
Hornby, who spoke to the media in Abuja over the weekend, accused both
ministers of not doing anything to improve the lives of the people of the
region. Hornby, popularly referred to as Buster Rymes in
the region, observed that the ministers are not in touch with the Niger Delta
people, and that they are more concerned with serving their personal and
political interests.
He was of the view that President Jonathan has genuine intentions
for the ex-agitators in particular and the entire people of the Niger Delta,
which he said, stemmed from the magnanimity of late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua,
but regrets to say that Alison-Madueke and Orubebe, both from the region are
bent on frustrating the peace currently enjoyed in the region. He noted that the ex-agitators reached some agreements
with the federal government before they laid down their arms, adding that the
ministers are not doing enough to sustain the agreements.
Hornsby therefore, warned that the region may in no
distant time begin to witness renewed hostilities if the ministers are not
sacked and replaced in 30 days, “if they are not removed in 30 days, that is
before Christmas, if Deziani wants to see us, she will see us”.
The Forum’s position is further strengthened by a
meeting of Ijaw leaders and elders initiated by Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake
Dickson, last month, which devoted attention to the deterioration in the Niger
Delta. Fallout of the meeting was a call on President Goodluck
Jonathan to sack non-performing members of his cabinet. This is because the
meeting was allegedly disturbed by the failure of political appointees from
Jonathan’s South-South region to carry out their responsibilities in accordance
with the people’s expectations.
Just few weeks ago, Anti-Corruption Network, a group led
by former House of Representatives member, Dino Melaye accused the minister of
Niger Delta Affairs, Godsday Orubebe of corruption and the Niger Delta Ex-agitators Forum said Melaye may not be far
from the truth as there is nothing on ground the minister can lay claim to.
Speaking in a separate interview, chairman of the River
state wing of the Niger Delta Ex-Agitators Forum, Hon. Ayila Tonye Adoki, confirmed
the positions of the national president, adding that the Amnesty Office ought
to have been involved in the award of the contract for pipelines’ surveillance.
According to him, the office has the list and details of the ex-agitators.
He said the process must be reversed to also favour the
ex-agitators so that the peace currently enjoyed in the region is sustained.
Masquerade234 however urge the federal government to look into the grieviances of the ex-agitators of the Niger Delta region to forestall a resurgence of militants in that region.
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