Former DESOPADEC Commissioner Asks N’Deltans to Support Unity

A public affairs analyst and former Commissioner with the Delta State Oil Producing Communities Development Commission, DESOPADEC, Ken Okolugbo, has praised the decision of leaders and activists in the Niger Delta to line up behind the Chief Edwin Clark-led elders for the resolution of crisis in the region.

Okolugbo, a member of the concerned stake holders of the Niger Delta, lauded the meeting of concerned stake holders held at the conference room of the Petroleum Training Institute Effurun on August 19, which he said “settled the question of who Leads us in the Niger Delta to enable us speak with one voice.”

He said it was in the interest of the Niger Delta to go into any negotiation with the federal government in unison, present a common front and ensure that the issues bordering the region were solved once and for all.

“Chief Edwin Clark has shown once more he is indeed one leader that cares for the people of the Coastal states and the search for peace which has eluded us in line with also ensuring stability of export of crude oil from the region at an optimal level of 2.2 million barrels per day. That all the groups in the region has keyed into this peace move goes to show the creditability and confidence in Chief Clark,” he said.

Okolugbo enjoined the people “to see the struggle beyond the Ijaw ethnic nationality only as so many others like Itsekiri, Uhrobo, Isoko, Ndokwa, Ibibio, Etche, Kalabari to mention a few are all affected less we encourage others to go into violence cause of emphasis on one group.”