Planned Protest Against NDDC Management Doomed To Fail, Group Warns Detractors

The Niger Delta Peace Advocates (NDPA), a Civil Society Organisation (CSO) committed to peace and development across the nine Niger Delta States, has send a warning to those planning to engage in what it called a politically-motivated protest against the leadership of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), to shelve the action forthwith.

The management of the Federal Government’s interventionist agency led by the Managing Director, Chief Samuel Ogbuku, has been facing ethno-centric attacks by a pseudo group of Ijaw extraction, accusing President Bola Tinubu of appointing someone who is not a core Ijaw to lead the commission.

But rising from their emergency meeting on the matter at the NDPA headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, leaders of the group, led by the president, Ebianga Emomotomi, warned that any attempt to compromise the prevailing peace in the region would be met with stiff resistance.

A communique at the end of the meeting read before journalists by Comrade Emomotomi condemned what they described as a sponsored agitation aimed at blackmailing Chief Ogbuku and his team for Mr President to see him in bad light despite his passionate commitment to effective implementation of the ongoing reforms of the commission in line with international best practices.

The communique reads: “At an emergency meeting held at our headquarters in Port Harcourt, the leadership of the NDPA issued a strong warning to the faceless individuals attempting to disrupt the hard-earned peace in the Niger Delta region.

“These disgruntled elements, primarily based in Warri, have no legitimacy, no capacity to mobilise and no genuine interest in the welfare of our people. Their agenda is nothing more than an ill-conceived attempt to cause unrest and extort money from unsuspecting individuals and institutions.

“Over the years, we have worked alongside well-meaning organisations and stakeholders to secure the peace we currently enjoy. Through our investigations, we have identified these fraudulent actors and their baseless claims. Let it be clear that these individuals are not recognized by any credible Niger Delta organisation and their so-called ‘protest’ lacks the support of true stakeholders.

Therefore, any attempt to take to the streets to foment trouble will be met with decisive action. The Niger Delta Peace Advocates stands firmly with security agencies in ensuring that peace is not compromised. We caution these elements to abandon their plans immediately, as any disruption of public order will attract the full weight of the law.

“Parents and guardians must warn their wards not to be lured into becoming tools for these fraudulent actors. The Niger Delta has moved past the era of blackmail, intimidation, and fake activism.

“The recent attacks on the leadership of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), particularly the Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, are nothing but the desperate efforts of individuals who have lost relevance.

“Dr. Ogbuku enjoys the support of true civil society groups, ex-agitators, and community leaders who are committed to development, not chaos. Under his leadership, the NDDC has aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, bringing sustainable progress to our people.

“We, the Niger Delta Peace Advocates, reaffirm our support for stability, good governance, and constructive engagement. Those who seek to disrupt our peace must desist immediately, or face the consequences of their actions.”