The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said the opposition of governors of Niger Delta to the reconstitution of the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) was shameful and disgraceful.
In a statement by its National Vice Chairman (South South), Chief Ntufam Hilliard Eta, the APC asked the governors to concentrate on delivering the dividends of democracy to their people.
The party said it was unfortunate that the governors were opposed to the appointment of those it called qualified Nigerians into the board of the NDDC.
The statement reads: “Our attention has been drawn to various reports in the news and print media on the very shameful and disgraceful steps taken by South South Governors, on the recent appointments made by Mr. President, wherein very qualified sons of South South geo political zone were appointed into the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
“Ordinarily, we would have ignored such disgraceful steps by men we thought could have known better, but it has become imperative that we stand in the defense of justice and for the benefit of Nigerians.
“It is sad that these Governors of the Oil rich states of the Niger Delta who should be highly concerned by the level of poverty and deteriorating state of infrastructures in the zone, are rather being parochial, selfish and exhibiting the highest form of ignorance in governance.
“They are only interested in ensuring that their family members, cronies and stooges are appointed to strategic positions, to the detriment of the generality of Nigerians.
“The steps by these self-serving Governors just goes to show that indeed their election into such high offices were just a direct product of the subversion of the collective wills of the people in the last general elections. We view these steps taken by these Governors as very dishonorable and it shows that governance in our zone is at the lowest ebb.
“Whereas, responsible leaders would have rolled out the drums in celebration and appreciative of Mr. President’s magnanimity in appointing eminent and qualified Nigerians of the South South extraction into the board of NDDC, Governors of the South South geopolitical zone, most of them from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, went on rampage, asking Mr. President to review the appointment, for whatever reasons. What a shame!
“For us, we view this as crass irresponsibility, shameful display of ignorance, and opposition politics carried too far.
“For the benefit of doubts, for those who may not be familiar with the trend of events in the South South (Niger Delta) region, irrespective of the humongous amount of monies the Governors of the zone receive from the federation account and security votes on a monthly basis, there is nothing to show in terms of development.
“Under the watch of these Governors, there is high rate of unemployment, youths’ restiveness and its ugly consequences, kidnapping of innocent citizens for ransom by criminals, poor primary health care facilities or none existent in some areas, poverty, insecurity of lives, banditry and all vices are on the increase in the zone.
“There is total decay of infrastructures in the zone and these Governors are doing nothing about it nor have a workable template on how to deliver democratic dividends to Nigerians of the South South zone.
“It is very shameful that these governors have not exhibited capacity to govern the people, but just engaging in fanning the embers of their deflated egos, self-aggrandizement and getting involved in selflsh politics, while the people wallow in abject poverty and penury.
“Our only consolation is that our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) is challenging the charade that brought these darks of unreason to power at the various legal platforms.
“We wish to use this medium to join millions of respected leaders and stakeholders nation-wide in thanking our amiable leader and President, President Muhammadu Buhari, for reconstituting the NDDC board; and for also appointing qualitied indigenes of the South South zone and qualified Nigerians into the board.”
