ODAHIEKWU OGUNDE, Yenagoa
An advocacy group, the 21st Century Youths of Niger Delta and Agitators with Conscience (21st CYNDAC), has commended a foremost ex-militants’ leader, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, for relaxing the ultimatum issued the Federal Government over the non-formation of a substantive board for the Niger Delta Development Commission.
Tompolo had on May 3, 2021, given the Federal Government a seven-day ultimatum to constitute the NDDC board or face the wrath of the youths of the region who threatened to begin fresh hostilities in the region.
But following interventions by stakeholders and the promise by the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio that the NDDC board would be inaugurated before the end of June, Tompolo and stakeholders decided to give the minister the benefit of the doubt.
The group in a statement on Friday by its Coordinator, Izon Ebi, lauded Tompolo for his love for the region and patriotic move and understanding to maintain the relative peace of the region by calling off his ultimatum.
The 21st CYNDAC said: “It now behoves the minister and the Federal Government to do the right thing by kick-starting the process of inaugurating the substantive board for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) as promised by Akpabio.
“It is a win-win situation for the Niger Delta region. We, therefore, use this medium to call on all stakeholders and agitators to maintain the peace and ensure that the right thing is done to put the commission in the right perspective for the development of the Niger Delta.
“We are one people and cannot be seen fighting ourselves at this critical time when the resources in our land are being used to attend to terrorism to the detriment of our people and our region.”