PANDEF Backs Call for Abia, Imo, Ondo Exclusion from NDDC

Sunday Aborisade in  Abuja

The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has formally supported the call for the exclusion of Abia, Imo and Ondo states from the Niger Delta Development Commission.

The foremost Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark, had addressed a news conference in Abuja on Tuesday, where he made the call.

Also at the meeting of PANDEF in Abuja, yesterday, the South-South leaders re-echoed the call for the amendment of relevant sections of the NDDC Establishment Act 2000.

They said the essence was to extricate the three non-South South States (Abia, Imo, and Ondo) that were integrated on political grounds, from the Commission.

The meeting was attended by the National Leader, Chief Dr. E. K. Clark; the PANDEF National Chairman, Senator Emmanuel Ibok Essien;  Members of the PANDEF Board of Trustees, National and State Officers, as well as former National and State Legislators, Governors, Ministers, and other critical Stakeholders.

Those in attendance also included Hon. Nduese Essien, former Minister of Lands & Housing;  Amb. Dr. Godknows Igali; Senator Musa Adede; Senator Nimi Barigha-Amange;  Senator Bassey Ewa-Henshaw; Dr. Cairo Ojoubgoh;  Solomon Asemota SAN; and Rt. Hon. Stella Dorgu.

Others were, Hon. Olivia Agbajoh;  Obongawan Grace Ekong; HRM King Dr. Suanu T.Y. Baridam JP;  Hon. Egho Ogene; Hon. Bassey Ekefre;  Hon. Bernard Mikko; Prof. G. G. Darah;  Prof. Uduak Umoh; Prince Okareme Maikpobi; HRH Diepreye Amadein;  Chief Uwemedimo Nwoko, SAN;  Chief Barr. Obo Osaro;  Hon. Ottos Akuephel and Dr. Ken Robinson, among others.

PANDEF also condemned the continued gross “annexation” of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, where all top strategic management positions are occupied by persons from the north, while Niger Delta indigenes were marginalised and circumscribed to peripheral standings, in both the management and operations of the industry

The group also cited the recent humongous Pipeline Maintenance Contracts awarded by NNPC Ltd to the exclusion of qualified firms from the Niger Delta as a typical example.

It called on President Bola  Tinubu to guarantee the appointment of someone from any of the six South-South States as the next Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC).

“Anything short of that would be a great disservice to the Niger Delta people,” PANDEF added.

Earlier yesterday, the Chairman of PANDEF, Senator Emmanuel Ibok Essien, had declined comments on the call by the group’s founder, Chief Edwin Clark, who had asked President Bola Tinubu to remove Abia, Imo and Ondo states from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

When confronted yesterday, at the National Assembly for his comments on the development, Essien, told journalists that he had not read the newspapers which published the reports of Clark on the issue.

He said, ” I have not read any newspaper today. I will speak on it after reading the reports.”

The PANDEF Chairman was at the National Assembly to chair the public presentation of a book, ‘Boldness to Succeed: The Journey of Life,’ written by a Director at the National Assembly Service Commission, Tom Paul Etuk.

Etuk in his book, chronicled the story of his life especially how he was pushing wheelbarrow at the popular Idu-Karimo market in Abuja as a graduate to eke a living before providence smiled on him and he met Essien in 2002.

Essien, at the time, who was the Deputy Senate Whip, had recommended him for appointment at the NASC from where he rose through the rank to become a director.

Speaking at the book presentation, the former principal officer of the Senate described the publisher as a humble and programmatic individual who had penchant to succeed.

He challenged everyone whom God had blessed, to reciprocate God’s blessings upon their lives by also assisting less privileged persons to grow.

In the book Etuk, chronicled his grass to grace story and sought to inspire and motivate the younger generation of Nigerians not to give up on life or take to crime in the midst of societal challenges.

The Director who hails from Ekparakwa Clan in Oruk-Anam Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, recalled that after he lost his father at a very tender age, his upbringing was characterised by years of hunger, tears, poverty, mockery and a sudden, temporary loss of memory while sitting for an examination.

However, in the midst of the challenges, he maintained an unwavering faith in God and engaged in several menial tasks even as a university graduate while severally applying and waiting for gainful employment.

As a university graduate, he took to wheel barrow pushing business at Idu, Karmo and Wuse markets in Abuja, among other menial jobs to survive.

According to him, he faced many adversities, which could have made him give up on life or take to crime while growing up, but decided to take some bold decisions such as escaping from an orphanage home as a young boy because he felt he would not fulfil his destiny there.

He recalled how he suffered public disgrace in search of employment when he was arrested at Eagles Square in Abuja, by men of the Nigerian Army for trespassing and taken to Kuje Prison, but was released upon intervention by a good Samaritan.

At another time, he was among those whose employment into a federal parastatal in Abuja was cancelled because there were petitions alleging misconduct in the recruitment process. 

These successive spells of misfortune, according to him, followed him everywhere he went to seek for job, yet he refused all counsels to seek help from ungodly places, preferring to hold on to God.

Etuk, who obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Economics at the University of Uyo in 1994 and a master’s degree in Business Administration (Entrepreneurship) from Nasarawa State University, Keffi,  in 2016, admitted in his book that providence finally smiled on him as he was divinely connected to former Deputy Senate Chief Whip and philanthropist, Senator Emmanuel Ibok Essien and others who played key roles in his transformation.

The foreword to the book was written by Chief Edwin Clark who described the author as a honest and hardworking man who has demonstrated wisdom and courage to put together the book to inspire and motivate young people in Nigeria and around the world.