Protesters in Delta State,Wednesday blocked East-West Road in Ughelli, and demanded the appointment of a Delta State indigene as the next Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
The demonstration caused disruptions to vehicular movements and socio-economic activities as protesters displayed their placards seeking justice and fair representation in the leadership of the Commission.
Some of the messages displayed on their placards included, “Niger Delta People’s Assembly Say No To Dr. Ogbuku As Managing Director of NDDC. It Is The Turn Of Delta State,” “Abuse of The NDDC Act Is A Catalyst of Crisis In The Niger Delta Region. President Tinubu Act Now To Save The Nation,” and “Injustice Cannot Be Used To Appease Victims Of Injustice, Ogbuku Must Go.”
The protest was organized by the Niger Delta People’s Assembly.
According to the group, despite Delta state’s critical role in the oil sector and its significant contributions to Nigeria’s economy, the state has been continually excluded from holding the office of Managing Director of the NDDC.
Comrade Charles Ejor, the Coordinator of the Niger Delta People’s Assembly who addressed the media during the protest, cited the need for Delta State to take its turn in the NDDC leadership.
He referred to a letter the group wrote to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, urging him to address the issue and ensure that the leadership of the Commission is distributed fairly, as outlined in the NDDC Act.
He cited Section 12, Subsection 1(d) of the NDDC Act, which mandates that the Managing Director and Executive Directors should come from oil-producing areas, rotating among states in order of oil production. With the recent expiration of Dr. Samuel Ogbuku’s tenure as Managing Director, Comr. Ejor argued that it is now Delta State’s turn to assume the position.
According to him, “the exclusion of Delta State from this critical leadership position is unjust and goes against the NDDC Act, Delta State has contributed immensely to the nation’s growth, especially in the oil sector, and it is only fair that we are given our rightful place in the leadership of the NDDC.”
Comrade Samuel Obada,who also spoke during the protest condemned the continuous neglect of Delta State in the leadership of the NDDC said, “we are bitter about the marginalization of Delta State in NDDC appointments, which is why we came out today. We are peace loving people, but it is our right to protest and make our grievances known to the world.”
The protesters clarified that their intent was to draw attention to the ongoing regional tensions and the perceived inequalities in the distribution of power and resources within the Niger Delta region.
The Niger Delta People’s Assembly stressed that it is time for Delta State to be given the opportunity to lead the NDDC, in line with the principles of equity, fairness and regional representation.
The group implored President Tinubu to take actions to address the systemic marginalization and to also guarantee Delta State’s rightful place in the NDDC leadership and as well ensure peace and development for the Niger Delta region.