Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has said the South-South region was determined to resist those who removed former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan to achieve their aim of ousting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu from office in 2007 general elections.
The Senator representing Akwa-Ibom North-West in the 10th Senate made the declaration at the weekend at the grand finale of the 25th anniversary of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State as part of the activities to round-off the week-long celebration.
Recall that Akpabio was chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum, when its presidential candidate and then incumbent President, Goodluck Jonathan lost his bid for a fresh mandate to the candidate of the erstwhile main opposition party, the All Progressives Congress, (APC), Muhammadu Buhari, in the 2015 general elections.
A statement by the Special Assistant to the President of the Senate on Media/Communication, Anietie Ekong, quoted Senator Akpabio as saying the entire South south religion would rally around Tinubu and would not allow him to be disgraced out of office by the same forces that orchestrated the plot that removed Jonathan from office.
The Senate President told the gathering that included former President Goodluck Jonathan, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume who represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Administrator of Rivers State, Admiral Ibokette Ibas, lawmakers, traditional rulers, ministers, and key figures from across the Niger-Delta, that the region that produces the mainstay of the economy would determine who emerges as President to manage the crude oil revenue.
“In the past the Niger-Delta was used as the goose that produced the golden egg with nothing to show for it. Today, President Tinubu has set up an Environmental Sciences University in Ogoni land to take care of the environment which had been degraded as a result of oil pollution.
“He has also set up a Maritime University, signed it into an Act of Parliament in Okerenkoko in Delta State. He has given us several tertiary institutions in Agriculture, Technology and lots of others. So it is not only in terms of appointments but various projects.
“This is the region that produces the wealth of the nation. We have the right to chose who manages our resources. So people should not think that anybody can just come and become the President without consultation with the people of the Niger-Delta.
“We, the people of the Niger-Delta, have assessed President Tinubu and have found him fit to continue in office beyond 2027. So, let the people who are conspiring against President Tinubu hear this. They did it before and conspired to remove our son, President Goodluck Jonathan.
“This time around the entire Niger Delta region has decided to speak with one voice. And we are telling the President ‘on your mandate we stand’. No conspiracy formed against this Government that has recognized the Niger-Delta shall prosper”.
The former Akwa-Ibom state governor decried the high turnover of the management team of the NDDC which he said had slowed the pace of development of the oil-rich region.
He, however, commended the present team led by the Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku for adhering to the vision of the founding fathers of the interventionist agency by embarking on projects that have impacted positively on the lives of the people of the region.
According to Senator Akpabio the frequent management change, created endless cycles where new leaders were removed before finishing projects, leaving thousands of initiatives abandoned and wasting billions meant for development.
He commended the stability under the current leadership of Dr. Ogbuku, urging that the Commission must break away from endless cycles of sabotage and focus on continuity so that development projects can be completed.
Speaking in the same vein, former President Jonathan commended President Tinubu for continuing with the present board of the Commission and noted that this will engender sustainable development of the region.
