From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
The Niger Delta Ethnic Nationalities Youth Leaders Forum (NDENYLF) yesterday staged a protest at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) Towers, Abuja calling on its Group CEO, Mr Bashir Ojulari to quit.
The group demanded that the GCEO should be replaced over alleged corruption and mismanagement.
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The youths also demanded the appointment of an indigene of the Niger Delta region as the GCEO of the oil giant.
They arrived at the towers in their numbers and blocked the entrance and exit gates of the company, holding banners, with different inscriptions, while chanting solidarity songs.
On one of the inscriptions on the banners, the coalition called for the replacement of the GCEO over alleged corruption.
They also called for the reopening of the Port Harcourt Refinery and restoration of all indigenes of Niger Deltans sacked by Ojulari.
The protest disrupted vehicular traffic on the roads, while security agents were seen appealing to the protesters, trying to maintain orderliness and ensuring a free flow of traffic.
Motorists and NNPC Ltd. workers were forced to park their cars far away from the gates of the towers due to the protest.
Management of NNPC Ltd. later went into an executive meeting with some officials of the coalition of Niger Delta Youth leaders while normalcy returned.
Edet Eyo, president, Oro Youth Movement (OYOM), said after meeting with the management who promised to look into their demands, they decided to go into consultation with their members to suspend the protest.
However, the Coalition of Niger Delta Ethnic Nationalities, has described as disgusting, what it termed stage-managed protest calling for the sack of Ojulari and the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Felix Ogbe.
In a statement by its President General, Theophilus Alaye, the group noted that the so-called protest was nothing but a sponsored act of sabotage, bankrolled by a cabinet member of President Bola Tinubu-led administration.
He warned that their objective was clear to blackmail and destabilise two technocrats who are diligently carrying out reforms that serve the interest of the Nigerian people and the Niger Delta region.
“Let it be known that the Niger Delta will not sit idly by and watch selfish politicians abuse their offices to pursue personal vendettas against men of integrity. Mr. Ojulari and Felix Ogbe who have demonstrated uncommon dedication, transparency, and professionalism in steering NNPCL and NCDMB.
“They enjoy the full confidence of the Niger Delta people, who are the primary stakeholders of the oil wealth that drives Nigeria’s economy,” he said.
Reacting further, the group, therefore, called on the sponsor to desist immediately from this reckless game of deception, warning that any further attempt to incite public disorder or malign the leadership of NNPCL and NCDMB would be resisted with equal force by the united voices of Niger Delta ethnic nationalities.
The coalition further warned that those who sponsor unrest in the oil and gas sector are enemies of development and will be treated as such.
According to the group: “We will not allow opportunists and political jobbers to throw our region and the nation into chaos for their selfish ambition.
“We stand firmly behind Mr. Bayo Ojulari and Engr. Felix Ogbe. Their leadership remains a symbol of progress and stability in the Nigerian oil and gas industry, and any attack against them is an attack against the Niger Delta people,” the group said.
The post Coalition kicks as Niger Delta youths protest, seek Ojulari’s resignation appeared first on The Sun Nigeria.
