Posted by Niger Delta Youth Council
In a united front, the Niger Delta Youth Council Worldwide, the Coalition of Niger Delta Ex Agitators, and South-South APC Support Groups and Youth Vanguard have issued a stern call to Senator Godswill Akpabio, urging him not to compromise the region’s interests in the ongoing deliberations surrounding Stella Okotete’s ministerial nomination.
In a release jointly signed by prominent youth leaders including Engr. Jator Abido, Comrade Kede Michael, Engr. Beke Apere, Gen Banti Mokoro, and Gen Ebikeme Sylvester and made available to journalists in Asaba, the Delta State Capital, the groups asserted that Okotete’s nomination was a direct representation of the youths in the Niger Delta, an opportunity to address the challenges posed by youth restiveness in the region.
According to the statement, “Okotete’s dedication to youth involvement in governance has positioned her as a beacon of leadership and a voice for the younger generation. Withholding her confirmation would, in turn, hinder the progression of the region’s youth in the Niger Delta region. Her rejection is the rejection our youths”
Unraveling their concerns, the coalition emphasized that no concrete security reports implicate Okotete as alleged by a nonexistent letter scripted by enemies of the region and presented by Senator Godswill Akpabio, to deny it an impactful representation that’s needed to turn around its fortunes. In addition, the groups submitted that playing politics with sensitive issues such as ministerial screening will only drag the nation backward and should be stopped.
“We have confirmation from the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) that they have no case against the person and nomination of Stella Oketete. Where exactly are the conflicting and contradictory reports coming from? The Senate President must as a matter of fact redeem the image of the Senate by unconditionally screening and confirming the the ministerial nomination of Stella Oketete for the good of the region and the nation at large. This is not the time to play politics with the future of the region as we shall pursue this to any length including using all diplomatic and legal channels at our disposal”, the statement added.
The group noted that as a beneficiary of the support of the Niger Delta youths and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Senator Akpabio as the Senate President cannot afford to work against the interest of the people that supported him but “rather stand as an advocate for the youth and the region”
While agitating for their demands, the groups expressed appreciation for President Bola Tinubu’s responsiveness to their demands, including the addition of Heineken Lokpobri and Festus Keyamu SAN from Bayelsa and Delta States respectively to the list of ministerial nominees from the region, describing it as the “highest height of inclusiveness”.
The youth organizations finally assured Nigerians of their unwavering support to the nominated ministers, vowing to collaborate to ensure effective representation and development in the Niger Delta. They further urged President Tinubu to assign the ministers portfolios that align with his developmental agenda, resonating with the region’s renewed hope for progress.