Journalists, others demand apology from Osinbajo, Minister, Niger Delta Governors

The vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo on Friday July 24^th failed to attend the 3^rd National Council Meeting n Niger Delta held in Abia State at the International Conference Center located at Ogurube New Layout in Umuahia, the state capital.

Security arrangements by Thursday night was concluded with the deployment of hundreds of security personnel from various commands of security agencies in the state to mount strategic positions in Umuahia in order to ensure that the No. Citizen of the country had a peaceful visit in the state.

Infonet9ja.com gathered that 9 state governors including the host, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu who had earlier received the Minister of Niger Delta, Pastor Usani Uguru at the Executive Chambers, Government House failed to attend the event.

While many Abians and journalists were yet to be told why the Vice President and 9 Southeast, south-south and South West governors who kept everybody including journalists in and outside the state waiting until about 4:30pm could not honour the event, reports making rounds have it that the vice president was at the same day attending an event in Lagos State.

But another unconfirmed report has it that the inability of the vice president to attend an event that was directly under his office was because of bad visibility (weather) because of a torrential rain.

A journalist who pleaded not to be named, while sharing his frustration with infonet9ja.com disclosed that he was at the venue of the event as early as 8am to beat any unforeseen circumstances that could stop him from covering the event of such class.

“As demanded by my profession to be early for assignments, I arrived Umuahia, the state capital by 8am and to also beat the rigorous security checks and road blocks when you have an event of this grade.

“Shortly after my arrival, people started coming including policemen and othe personnel of security agencies deployed to work in the area. I was later screened at the entrance of the main building before I was allowed to go into the hall.

“Not quite long, the security operatives who I guess are from Abuja ordered everybody excluding the traditional rulers to leave the hall that they want to sweep the hall, which I guess was to ensure that the hall was safe considering that they were expecting the Vice President and other 9 governors.

“After about 30mins or thereabouts, they asked us to come in and also screened us before allowing us entrance into the hall. After several hours of waiting, aides to the governor of the state, Dr. Okezie and his advance team started coming in.

“In one of their conversations, I learnt that the minister of Niger Delta, Usani had paid courtesy visit on the governor and it is expected that both the minister and Ikpeazu, the host governor with other dignitaries, including Service Chiefs would receive their visitor at the Umuahia Central Police Station where he would land and take off to the event center.

“I learnt that Osinbajo’s advanced team was in the state since Wednesday, giving the hope that he will be coming.

“Shortly afterwards, the Press crew from Government House arrived, giving hope that the governor and the vice president would soon be here. But that didn’t happened. People started getting worried but were upbeat when the commissioner of Police in the state, Anthony Michael Ogbizi and other senior officers came into the hall and left after ensuring that things were in order.

“Regrettably, we waited and waited with no indication that Osinbajo and other Niger Delta Governors were coming. While all these where happening, apart from Sam Hart (aide to Gov Ikpeazu) who made one or two announcements, no one spoke to the crowd on why the August visitors were not yet in the facility. Not even the Commissioner of Finance, Obinna Oriaku and Ugochukwu Emezue, former spokesman of the government of the state could have answers to why their principal was yet to arrive the venue at the time of this report.

And by 5pm or so, when it was obvious that Osinbajo and even the host governor weren’t coming, the Press crew to Abia State governor, folded the Governor’s public rostrum to head back home.”

Other journalists who corroborated their colleagues account demanded an apology from Osinbajo, Ikpeazu and others for keeping them waiting without any official explanation to why they failed to attend the event or even send a delegation.

Meanwhile, here is the full Communiqué Issued At The End Of The 3rd National Council Meeting On Niger Delta Held At The International Conference Center, Ogurube New Layout Umuahia, Abia State From 23rd – 27th July, 2018.

1. The 3rd National Council Meeting on Niger Delta was held at the International Conference Center, Ogurube New Layout, Umuahia, Abia State, from 23rd to 27th July, 2018. The Meeting was declared open by the Honourable Minister, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs (MNDA), Pastor Usani Uguru Usani. The theme of the Meeting was “Fostering Synergy and Institutional Coordination for Development in the Niger Delta Region”.

Fifty three (53) members drawn from the nine (9) states of the Niger Delta region, relevant Federal and States Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), representatives of Development Partners, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and International Oil Companies (IOCs), attended this year’s meeting.

2. Preceding the Council was a three day Technical Committee session held from 23rd – 25th July 2018. The Technical Session was declared open by the Governor of Abia State Government, His Excellency, Okezie Ikpeazu (Ph.D), who was represented by the Deputy Governor of the State, Rt Hon. Ude Oko Chukwu, and chaired by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Aminu Aliyu Bisalla.

The technical session received and evaluated 34 memoranda while 27 were recommended for consideration and approval by the Council. Six (6) papers on critical subjects relating to the theme of the meeting were presented and discussed at the plenary session

3. The Council expressed concern over the lack of implementation of past approved memoranda and urged the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs (MNDA) to revisit and implement the resolutions reached at the last Council.
4. The Council called on the MNDA to redouble its efforts in coordinating projects and programmes execution by all intervening bodies in the region in order to accelerate development.
5. The Council noted the importance of strengthening monitoring and evaluation of projects by all stakeholders to ensure transparency and accountability.
6. The Council made the following notes and recommendations:
7. Noted that youth empowerment remains a veritable means to engender peace and should be intensified and called for programmes targeted at peaceful youth and communities;
8. Recalled the approval at the 2nd Council on Niger Delta of a Youth Sports Engagement Programme (YSEP) to promote peaceful coexistence, harmony and stability. This project should be immediately pursued;

iii. Enhance engagement of communities in the security and peace efforts in the region;

1. Reiterated the need for alternative sources of funding for the completion of ongoing capital projects in the region and encourage the adoption of Public Private Partnership (PPP) for the delivery of critical infrastructure and services;
2. Noted the importance of the Inter-Ministerial committee chaired by the Vice President as a vehicle for promoting synergy and cooperation that is required to galvanize collective support for the development agenda of the Niger Delta region;
3. Noted the need to give greater attention to women and gender issues at all levels of government in the region for inclusiveness;

vii. Noted the spate of abandoned and ongoing projects resulting from inadequate funding and called for concerted efforts to develop a work plan through coordinated efforts by implementing MDAs and emphasized a buy-in of stakeholders in the Niger Delta Development Plan;

viii. Noted the importance of education for employment policy as exemplified in Abia State and encourage its replication in other parts of the region;

1. Emphasized the need for education, sensitization and training of host communities in the oil producing areas on disaster mitigation by relevant stakeholders.
2. Council particularly expressed deep appreciation to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR and the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, GCON for their relentless efforts towards the development of the Niger Delta region. The Governor, Government and people of Abia state are highly appreciated for their laudable support and hospitality for the success of the 3rd Council Meeting.

Signed.
Dr. Sam U. Eno
(Director)
Planning, Research and Statistics
MNDA