Asari Dokubo, former President of the Ijaw Youth Council, has expressed his disappointment and betrayal over President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision to scrap the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.
Dokubo-Asari
In an interview with ARISE NEWS, Dokubo emphasized that this move is a “total betrayal” of the Niger Delta people, who have historically been marginalized and deprived of their rightful gains.
Dokubo clarified that his opposition to the ministry’s scrapping is not driven by personal relationships with President Tinubu, but rather by his commitment to representing the interests of his people.
He brought up the historical context of the struggle for fair representation and resource control in the Niger Delta, which led to the establishment of the ministry.
“The ministry came into being on the blood and sweat of the people of the Ijaw nation,” Dokubo said.
“I was incarcerated in 2005, and the struggle started soon after the former governor of Bayelsa State, Alamieyeseigha, was also incarcerated. Oil production came down to 700,000 barrels, and in order to assuage the Ijaw people, Yar’Adua started with a 7-point Agenda, which included the creation of the Niger Delta Ministry.”
Dokubo also criticized the redefinition of the Niger Delta concept, which he believes has been diluted to include other regions. “Niger Delta is created by the river Niger and its tributaries; it’s simple. Nigeria always looks for something that does not exist in reality.”
When asked about the effectiveness of the ministry, Dokubo said that the law, not the leader’s wishes, should govern decision-making.
When he was then asked if he considered that the Niger Delta Affairs ministry was scrapped because it was said to be ineffective, he said, “We are talking of law, we are not talking of effectiveness. The wishes and caprices of a leader does not amount to the law of the country. NDDC was created by law, it was not created by wishes and caprices of a leader, that when I decide a thing, it becomes law.”
“As we speak, the law has not been amended. So, what we are talking about, who decides what is effective? Everything about Nigeria is inefficient because of corruption, because of wanton corruption, so that is corruption everywhere. All institutions are affected by corruption, so nobody will say it is always the Niger Delta that is not efficient. What we are saying- you yourself have said I called for the scrapping of NDDC last year when I said they should scrap NDDC and return OMPADEC, which was the right nomenclature for that body called NDDC, and then create a special authority as it was before for the Niger Delta.
“Having said that, they have created South East Development Commission, North East Development Commission, whatever development commission. Where is the money going to come from? The money of the Ijaw, Ogoni, Itsekiri, Urhobo people, and Igbo people. They tell us that oil is no longer important in the world, but it is our oil money that they are using,” he added.
