The Movement for the Survival of Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND) has urged President Bola Tinubu to ignore the call for the sack of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) boss, Dr Samuel Ogbuku.
The group said that it was regrettable that a group, Niger Delta Elders for Good Governance and Accountability, was behind the call.
MOSIEND dismissed the statement signed by one Chief Donald Ewere calling for Ogbuku’s sack as “baseless falsehood and fabrication“.
MOSIEND’s reaction is contained in a statement signed by its National President, Kennedy Tonjo-West, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria in Yenagoa.
The group said the call was not in tune with the yearnings of the Niger Delta people.
“It is sad that this is coming at a time when the region is very peaceful and all the stakeholders are fully supporting Dr. Samuel Ogbuku and calling for his revalidation as the substantive Managing Director of NDDC.
“Ogbuku is very committed to bringing the vision of President Bola Tinubu concerning the region to fruition, and has got the confidence of the people.
“This is someone who has listening ears and consults widely before he does anything, and for the first time, Niger Delta people are gathering behind Ogbuku to continue irrespective of tribe,“ Tonjo-West said in the statement.
The group said it was not true that the Senate President Godswill Akpabio was against Ogbuku.
“Akpabio knows the level of support Ogbuku is galvanising for him and The Presidency, as he is holding the region firmly for Mr. President.
“Ogbuku is a very important asset to both Akpabio, the SGF, the Chief of Staff to the President and Mr. President himself and we know that there cannot be any in-fighting,“the group said.
MOSIEND noted that Ogbuku knew the Niger Delta issues like the back of his hand having been part of the struggle, having served in the Ijaw Youth Council and served the region creditably.
“We are vouching for him, let the president revalidate him and if he doesn’t surpass their expectations, then it is our fault,“Tonjo-West said.
He said changing Ogbuku would not be a wise decision because he had shown capacity and having another person to take over from him at this point in time would mean dragging the region backward.
He called on those behind the smear campaign to desist forthwith and not to misrepresent the Niger Delta people because of their selfish interest and inordinate desire to remain relevant at all cost.
Tonjo-West called on the president to revalidate Ogbuku’s appointment as the substantive Managing Director of the NDDC.
NAN
