Edo 2020: Political actors, security forces’ interference disappointing ― UNDEDSS

The United Niger Delta Energy Development Security Strategy (UNDEDSS) has expressed concern over reports of the deteriorating political climate in Edo State ahead of the September governorship election holding in the state, saying it was disappointed with the role being played by some political actors and security forces in the state.

The group expressed this concern on Monday in a statement titled: “Enough is enough,” copy of which was made available to newsmen in Lagos by its Secretary-General, Mr Tony Uranta, following the conclusion of a parley termed: “Online meeting between our (UNDEDSS’s) Executive and the ‘Creeks.'”

The group also demanded that the Federal Government should immediately start treating every zone of the country equitably or lose the moral right to demand full acquiescence to its leadership status.

“We are concerned with reports of the deteriorating political climate in Edo State and are disappointed with the role played by some political actors in the state.

“We are especially concerned with allegations of interference by security forces in political matters, which we will continue to monitor closely in the run-up to gubernatorial elections in the state in September,” UNDEDSS said.

UNDEDSS, while declaring that enough be put to what it described as the inequitable treatment of zones in the country, affirmed that the Niger Delta region was totally disappointed with the Federal Government’s style of governance, describing it that as brazenly nepotistic.

According to the Niger Delta group, the governance style denies all Nigerian citizens who do not belong to the president’s ethnic group the right to justice and a level playing field, both in terms of appointments and application of justice.

“Enough is Enough! The Niger Delta is totally disappointed with the FGN’s style of governance that is brazenly nepotistic, and which denies all Nigerian citizens who do not belong to the president’s ethnic group the right to justice and a level playing field, both in terms of appointments/employment and punishment/rule of law!” UNDEDSS said.

The group, while throwing its support for the Federal Government anti-corruption war, noted with dismay what people of Niger Delta have termed the calculated attempts to allegedly single out the region for putative anti-corruption actions that filled the news spaces, especially with regards to the ongoing probe on alleged sleaze in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NNDC).

It said this attempt had distracted all Nigerians from the mind-boggling acts of corruption that were evident in reported ministries, departments and agencies of government, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the North East Development Commission (NEDC) among others.

UNDEDSS argued that the about $42 billion (N15.21 trillion) spent by NNPC on fuel importation between 2013 and 2018 was capable of building about 14 refineries with average capacities of 100,000 barrels of crude oil per day at an estimated cost of $3 billion if well managed.

It said the same amount could in the alternative build three of the type of Dangote Refinery, which is primed to produce 650,000 barrels per day, declaring that this and others “should be the priority focused areas of the FGN now.”

UNDEDSS warned against “continuing marginalisation and disregard for the Niger Delta and its leaders as “new dangerous agitation is building up in the region, and how the FGN deals with us strategically going forward may make a big difference in outcomes.”

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