Effiong Okon Akwa has been appointed the sole administrator of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), according to a statement released by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity.
Akwa, until his appointment, was acting Executive Director, Finance and Administration of NDDC
and hails from Akwa Ibom state.
Already people in the Niger Delta are reacting negatively to the appointment.
Elendu Reports in an exclusive report a few days ago had revealed that this was the scheming of
the Niger Delta Minister, Godswill Akpabio.
The Reformed Niger Delta Avengers, a group of retired militants had threatened to sabotage oil
installations and pipelines if another interim arrangement, instead of a substantive board was
appointed.
A source close to the group told our reporter, “these guys are angry with this announcement.
They feel the president is taking Niger Delta people for granted. They are meeting to decide on
the next line of action.”
A frontline Niger Delta activist who did not want to be named in this report told Elendureports,
“why is Buhari disrespecting us like this?
Why does he think he is above the laws of Nigeria? Where does it state in the Act setting up NDDC that you can appoint a sole administrator? We will not take this lightly. Sorry for Nigeria.”
There are unconfirmed reports that demonstrations have been planned to shut down the offices
of NDDC.
A group of activists in the Niger Delta are also planning a series of lawsuits next week.
Godswill Akpabio, the Niger Delta Minister is planning to hold secret meetings with some militants and activists in Port Harcourt on Sunday, according to sources in the Niger Delta.