PRESS RELEASE
ANIOMA YOUTHS CAUTION EX-MILITANT GROUP
….. We will resist any attempt to bully, harass or intimidate NDDC chairperson, Lauretta Onochie
The leadership of Anioma Youth Forum Worldwide (AYF-W) have been inundated with calls and messages over a viral video clip of some persons purported to be ex militants wherein they issued a threat to the Chairman of the Board of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Ms. Lauretta Onochie over organizational dispute at NDDC.
As a group that prides itself highly responsible and responsive, and places high premium on due process and rule of law, Anioma Youths amongst other well meaning Niger Deltans are worried yet again that the frosty relationship between the management team and board members posses a serious threat to the good intention of Mr. President, Mohammadu Buhari who out of his determination to reposition the NDDC had sanctioned a forensic Audit that was aimed to end financial recklessness and deliberate plundering of the mega resources plunged into the commission since it’s creation in 2000 with absolutely nothing to show.
This forensic audit led to a long absence of a substantive board to run the agency thereby stalling the activities of the agency until few months ago that this present Board came leaving Niger Deltans with high expectations.
That notwithstanding, it beats our imagination that rather than seek for a peaceful end to the unfortunate lingering faceoff between the Chairman, Ms. Lauretta Onochie and the Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku over issues bothering on allegations of usurpation of power and non adherence to the Act establishing the Niger Delta Development Commission, some ex agitators have resulted to issuing of threats. We view this action as unacceptable as it is capable of jeopardizing the fragile peace the Niger region currently enjoys.
In the light of the above, AYF-W cautions that Anioma Youths will not fold their hands and watch a respected and accomplished Anioma daughter and Amazon, Lauretta Onochie bullied, threatened and intimidated by any group on account of her determination and attempt to ensuring that the relevant sections of the Act establishing the NDDC is followed strictly in the running of the affairs of the commission in the general interest of all Niger Deltans.
AYF-W therefore, calls on the group issuing threats to retract it and desist forthwith and allow for a peaceful resolution of the imbroglio by the parties as it is no where near any form of ethnic or tribal war, especially now that the issues of concern are before the Distinguished Senator Yusuf Yusuf led Ad-hoc Committee Investigating the Budget and running of the NDDC.
Finally, may we use this medium to once again call on the Federal Government to make the findings of the forensic audit carried out with tax payers money public, else it will be seen to have lost its essence and rendered the entire exercise and funds as monumental waste.
Signed:
. Comr Nnamdi Okwufulueze Ofonye
National President
Comr. Frank Odum
National Secretary
Comr. Ekwukwo Elvis
National Publicity Secretary
