Itsekiri Youths Protest Non Inclusion in NDDC Board

The Itsekiri ethnic nationality has kicked against the non-inclusion of the tribe in the recently constituted board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), threatening a nationwide protest against the federal government.

The ethnic group noted that being the foremost oil and gas producing area in Delta State, an Itsekiri ought to have been appointed as the chairman of the board for the huge economic contribution and responsibilities she carried on behalf of the Nigerian state.

Itsekiri National Youth Council (INYC), in a statement issued in Warri yesterday by its President, Oritseweyinmi Agbateyiniro, therefore urged the National Assembly to halt the screening of the nominees on the list forwarded by President Muhammadu Buhari until the proper things were done.

She declared "Deriving our position from all extant laws guiding the oil industry, persons from Itsekiri (foremost oil and gas producing area in Delta state) should immediately be nominated on the list.

"Specifically, the position of Chairman, Board of the NDDC zoned to Delta State should be unconditionally given to the Itsekiri ethnic nationality for the huge economic contribution and responsibility she is carrying on behalf of the Nigerian state.

"The Senate should suspend the screening of all nominees on that list until the right thing is done. We truly deserve to benefit from our labour," it demanded.

The INYC decried the nominations for both the Chairman and Managing Director in the composition of the new board of the NDDC as a calculated attempt to subjugate the oil bearing people of Warri kingdom by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

For the sake of equity, justice and fair play, it urged the federal government to look into the Act Establishing the NDDC, the rotational principles by Alphabetical order of the oil producing states and the principle of oil production quantum.