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NDDC, FG Appointments: Alex Ideh, Emami, Amorighoye, Other Itsekiri APC Leaders Take Position
Dr Alex Tosan Ideh, elder statesman and a former commissioner in Delta state, Ologbotsere of Warri Kingdom and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Ayiri Emami and other top leaders of the party, on Tuesday, spoke with one voice over alleged federal government marginalization of Itsekiri nation in scheme of things.
Speaking at a stakeholders meeting convened at the instances of Dr Ideh at his country home in Koko, Warri North Council Area, the APC Leaders lamented that the federal government and the party have not be fair to the Itsekiri people despite giving President Muhammadu Buhari and APC the highest votes in the last elections.
“To be able to get one or two positions for Itsekiri Nation, you have to scheme and scheme yet we have not been able to get one. We cannot continue like this”, Dr Ideh told the leaders and stakeholders of the party.
He said, “Warri North gave Buhari the highest vote in the last election but what have we gotten from the Presidency? Nothing. I am getting tired of the situation. We are really losing out. There is no business now in Warri. Things are collapsing. Shell has left, Chevron has left, everybody have left, we are struggling with ourselves and with market women”, he said while lamenting that APC government has poorly treated leaders and stakeholders in the party overtimes.
On the 2023 governorship election in Delta State, Ideh said “We know the tendencies in APC. One is Ovie Omo-Agege and the other is Chief Great Ogboru. Right now nobody know where the pendulum would swing. At the end of the day where we will go, will be decided by our people.
Continuing, he said; “I will not be involved in any underground fight. My concern is how we can get a uniform party. Let’s cooperate so we can have some sense of things happening. Let forget about our tendencies and work together. A time is coming when all of us would benefit. Things are not auguring well for us. I can’t even name one person that is benefiting from this APC government”, he said.
Also speaking, the party’s Organising Secretary, Sir Amorighoye Mene, said that the essence of the meeting was to forge a united front for the party and draw the attention of the party and the presidency to the gross marginalization of leaders and stakeholders of the party in federal appointments.
“We have the resources, we gave the highest votes but we are not benefiting. So we have called this meeting to tell our people that we need to speak with one voice. Our congresses are coming and we need to forge a formidable voice. We were told that the reason things are not coming our way is because we are not united and we are here to appeal to our people ahead of what’s is coming”, Amorighoye Mene said.
In a communique issued at the end of the meeting, the Itsekiri leaders called on President Buhari to ensure that the people of the three “Is”- Itsekiri, Isoko or Ijaw that constitute Delta South Senatorial District- who they said are most neglected but produced the bulk of oil for Nigeria are appointed into federal government positions.
The meeting however blamed internal wrangling and disunity among leaders and members of the party in Itsekiri for the non-appointment of its members into key federal position, saying that it was high time party faithful close ranks irrespective of their tendencies and work together.
They posited that APC can only win Delta if members and leaders from the three senatorial districts resolve to close rank and work in unity ahead of the 2023 governorship election in the state.
The Itsekiri APC enjoined the national leadership of the party to zone the presidency to south in the 2023 Presidential election in the interest of justice and national unity.
While appealing for appointments of loyal party chieftains who had work assiduously for the success of the party, the meeting called on those involved in the ongoing forensic audit of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to fast-track the process to enable the government constitute a substantive board for the interventionist agency.
“In particular, we enjoin the president to give marching orders to those carrying out the Forensics Audit of the NDDC to conclude this exercise with dispatch so that an all-inclusive Board representing the true Oil producing peoples of the Niger-Delta can be out in place.
“In doing this, we advise that whatever position that comes to Delta State must be given to the peoples of the three Is – Itsekiri, Isoko or Ijaw the so called neglected peoples who produce the bulk of the Oil from Delta State.
“We commend the efforts of the Gov. Mai Mala Buni – led interim caretaker Committee of our Party the APC in coming out with a timetable for the ward, Local Government and State Congress and promise our full cooperation.
“We call on all our people in Delta State, to cooperate with the Chief Oyegun led Peace and Reconciliation Committee as well as the Hon . Idris Wase led Contact And Strategy Committee in ensuring that total peace harmony returns to our Party In Delta State.
“We preach a magnanimous leadership of our party so that all APC members irrespective of their tendencies can enjoy the benefits of this democracy which had eluded us so far.
“On the Ward, Local Government and State Congress, we urge that consensus congresses should be the foundation of intra party building blocks, to avoid strike and conflicts that hamper internal cohesion. If we must win the next Delta State Elections, we must avoid fighting ourselves”, they further said.
The meeting, also appealed to Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) not to resume hostilities in the region and urged President Buhari to turn promises he made to the people of the region into action.
“We call on the Niger Delta Avengers – to sheath their sword and give president Muhammadu Buhari the opportunity to look into all grievances just as we prevail on President Buhari to turn his words of promise into action so as to assuage the feelings of all Niger Delta People”.
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