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Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike on Tuesday hinted that he would sue the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for contempt of court if the commission embarks on any development project for Rivers state without the consent of his government. This he said was based on a subsisting court order.
The Governor, giving the hint at Government House Port Harcourt before visiting Sole Administrator of NDDC, Efiong Akwa, also vowed to, henceforth, deal decisively with youths from some Niger Delta ethnic groups outside Rivers who frequently move in to picket NDDC headquarters, inducing business disruptions in the state with the posture that they own NDDC more than other groups in the region.
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Harping on the subsisting court order, the Governor declared, ‘I will not hesitate to tell the Attorney General to file contempt against officials of NDDC and NDDC itself. We have come to a time Nigerians must understand we must follow rules.
‘The only way you can talk about good governance is when you obey the rule of law. There cannot be good governance when there is nothing to show you obey the law. Good governance is predicated on the rule of law.’
On ethnic groups posing to own NDDC than other groups, Wike said, ‘Anybody can be appointed in Niger Delta. There are people who believe if they appoint somebody from Edo or Cross Rivers, for example, they say no. That those people are not the core Niger Delta states. We must have to stop that.
‘NDDC does not belong to any ethnic group in the region. There are people who seen selves as owners of NDDC. They leave their state, come to block the NDDC gate. We are peaceful people, but nobody should push us to the point we can tell you enough is enough.
‘Next time they try it again to cause a crisis in our state, I’ll mobilize our people against them. I am not saying if you have a grievance with NDDC you shouldn’t seek how to settle it. But don’t use it to cause a problem for us, to begin to make economic activities not to move on.’
To the Sole Administrator of the commission, Wike advised, ‘The problem with us is that you allow people outside to control you. You want to have godfathers from East, West, and North. NDDC is created for Niger Delta. Use the money for the people and the region.
‘They are abusing us that Niger Delta is a curse. Trillions of dollars have been spent, and we cannot say this is what we have spent the money on. Those Abuja portfolio contractors are part of the people controlling you.
‘They tell you what to do and you do it for fear that they will remove you. But eventually, you will be removed. So, why not work for the people. When you’re removed, you’ll know you did your best for the region.
‘Go and visit every governor because they are members of the governing council of NDDC and they are the leaders of the states. You don’t need to entangle yourself with unnecessary bickering, politicking to Make a difference.’
Akwa who told his host that the visit was his first to any NDDC mandate state Governor, informed Wike that the newly completed permanent NDDC head office is billed to be commissioned on 25 February 2021.
THE EASTERN UPDATES
