The people of Ilaje /Ese Odo in the riverine area of Ondo state have issued a 20-day ultimatum to the Senate and the Federal Government to confirm the Commissioner representing the state on the board of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) or forget about holding Niger Delta stakeholders meeting in the state.
Already, the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo is expected to declare open the second meeting of the National Council on Niger Delta (NCND) slated for September 7 to 14, in Ondo State
The event, with a theme; Fast-tacking the Development and Peace in the Niger Delta Region, is to be attended by the nine Oil producing States.
But, the people of Ilaje /Ese Odo under the auspices of Ilaje Leadership Forum have vowed to disrupt the planned meeting, if the Ondo state representatives on the board of the NDDC, Lucky Aiyedatiwa is not confirmed within the next 20 days.
Besides, the group also asked all oil firms operating in the oil-producing communities in the state to quickly relocate if the government fails to meet their demands.
During a protest staged on Saturday in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government, the group which combined both Youths and adults from various communities in the oil-producing local governments of Ondo State threatened to lock all the offices including National Assembly and Ondo state government house if their demands are not meant within 20 days.
Publicity Secretary of the group, Prince Emorioloye Owolemi who spoke with reporters said they have directed their youth to be at alert and strike if the government fails to do the needful.
The group noted that the Ondo State portion of the Niger Delta area is the most peaceful among the oil-producing states.
The group added that the government is taking their peaceful nature for granted.
According to him, the non-inclusion of Ondo representative in the board has denied them the opportunity to determine the projects that should be sited in their communities in the 2017 budget.
“We are appealing to the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, to wade into this matter and ensure that quick consideration into their worries are meant before the given 20 days or else forget his coming to ondo state for stakeholders meeting, as we will not dialog in anyway without our representative in the NDDC on seat ” The group said
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