Fifth columnists bent on frustrating progress made in Niger Delta, group says

The Niger Delta Integrity Network (NDIN) has alleged that fifth columnists in the Niger Delta Ministry who are hell-bent on frustrating the harmony and progress of the oil producing states.

It this while reacting to Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs, Tayo Alasoadura’s assertion that the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) was hurriedly constituted, resulting in its dissolution.

Convener of the group, Ndimele Ajuri, in a statement noted that as a former senator, Alasoadura ought to be familiar with the nuances of government, rather than using the word ‘dissolved’ to depict the board, which had not been inaugurated in the first place, insisting that the inauguration was being delayed to enable the Interim Management Committee (IMC) to function.

“Our attention has been drawn to media reports to the Minister of State, Niger Delta Affairs, in which Tayo Alasoadura said the NDDC’s Board, which was constituted by President Muhammadu Buhari and confirmed by the Senate on November 5, 2019, has been dissolved.

Ajuri said the minister’s comment tend to confirm the group’s worst fears that there are fifth columnists in the Niger Delta Ministry who are bent on frustrating the harmony and progress of the region.

He pointed out that the NDIN opposed the continuation of the interim management committee for this reason and demanded the inauguration of the board.

“We still stand on this. For the minister to say that people just rushed to form a new board and as far as we are concerned, we saw that ensuring that it was business as usual for the new people is an indictment of President Buhari who constituted the board and sent same to the Senate for consideration. Is the minister saying that the President and the presidency are incompetent?

“For the benefit of the minister and others pushing for the interim ad hoc arrangement at the NDDC, the board as confirmed comprised tested professionals from states of the Niger Delta and the various regional representations as provided for in the NDDC Act,” he said.

Ajuri said it was clear to Niger Delta stakeholders that those pushing the interim management agenda such as Alasoadura neither have an idea of what they are doing nor reservation in destroying the unity of the Niger Delta region.

He added that they also do not care about the reputation of the President or those already cleared for the board.

The group further said, “We believe that the focus should be on the audit of NDDC, which should preoccupy the minister if he has nothing more to offer other than spinning tales and conjectures in a bid to sound active and knowledgeable.”