A Non-Governmental Organisation, Citizens Network For Peace and Development in Nigeria, has faulted scathing indictment of the stewardship of President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio during his tenure as Minister of Niger Delta Ministry.
Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe had in recent remarks claimed that Senator Akpabio’s tenure as Minister during the last administration was of no value to the indigenes of Niger Delta region.
Chief Sara-Igbe also faulted the performance of the tenth Senate under Akpabio.
But Executive Director, Citizens Network For Peace and Development in Nigeria, Chief Francis Okereke Wainwei in a statement issued to newsmen in Abuja insisted that the Senate President has always been an asset and blessing to the Niger Delta region.
The group urged Chief Sara-Igbe to be factual, constructive, and patriotic in his criticisms.
The Forum maintained that majority of the criticisms against the Senate President “are heavily laced with bitterness and negative political sentiments.”
The statement read in part: “We reaffirm our faith in the competence and transformational leadership of His Excellency, Sen. Godswill Akpabio. We declare that Sen. Akpabio is a blessing to Nigeria and the Niger Delta region and therefore, we are calling on all his critics to be, factual, constructive, and patriotic.
“This call is premised on the fact that there is the emergence of a new trend of frivolous criticisms orchestrated to tarnish the image of the Senate President and reduce his popularity, especially in the Niger Delta region. And majority of the said criticisms against him are heavily laced with bitterness and negative political sentiments.
“We are, therefore, calling on all such critics to eschew bitterness and political sentiments while expressing their opinions concerning the leadership trajectory of His Excellency, Sen. Godswill Akpabio.
“We are also using this medium to call on Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe to do an objective analysis and thorough research on the tenure of Akpabio as Minister of Niger Delta Affairs to enable him to arrive at a more accurate and informed account of events within the period. Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe should thereafter render an unreserved apology to the Senate President for making such an unfounded, spurious, malicious, and reckless statement against him.
“It’s a well-known fact that Chief Godswill Akpabio sanitised the Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC) and repositioned it to be able to effectively execute its original mandate of bringing development to the Niger Delta communities. The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) before the emergence of Chief Akpabio as Minister of Niger Delta Affairs was a “conduit pipe” servicing the financial interests of a few individuals in contrast to its mandate of developing the Niger Delta communities. The current success and progress at the agency were made possible by the uncommon transformational leadership of Chief Akpabio as Minister of Niger Delta Affairs.
“Chief Akpabio has also enthroned legislative excellence and stability in the National Assembly. His transformational leadership and vision have made the National Assembly to be more result-oriented and productive. He is indeed a blessing to Nigeria and the Niger Delta Region. He should be celebrated and not vilified. He is a true Ambassador of the Niger Delta people.
“It’s therefore, surprising and disheartening to read about uninformed and baseless comments made against Sen.Godswill Akpabio, such as the one made by Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, alleging that Akpabio betrayed the trust of Niger Deltans and brought about the worst era in the history of the Niger Delta Development Commission, under his administration as Minister of Niger Delta Affairs.”
The forum further urged “all those that are involved in such distasteful and nefarious activities” to desist forthwith from such activities and “turn a new leaf.”
“They should become patriotic and responsible citizens for the betterment of our nation,” the forum added.
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