Niger Delta ex-agitators fault call for Akpabio’s impeachment

A group of former agitators from the Niger Delta has condemned the calls for the impeachment of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, describing them as a plot against prominent politicians from the Southern region of Nigeria.

The group, operating under the banner of the ‘Niger Delta Ex-Agitators Forum’, also advocated for the creation of a South-South Development Commission, separate from the Niger Delta Development Commission.

Speaking at a press conference in Port Harcourt, the chairman of the forum, Alban Paulinus, also known as General Skillar, said the group is aware of efforts by some individuals to change the leadership of the National Assembly, which they will collectively resist.

Paulinus stated, “We, the ‘Niger Delta Ex-Agitators Forum’, are aware of calls from some faceless groups to impeach the current Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, a Southerner. To us, this is yet another instance of injustice against the South.

“We are using this press conference to warn that we will not tolerate such actions and will resist any attempts to undermine Akpabio’s leadership by any means available to us.”

The forum described Akpabio, a former governor of Akwa Ibom State, as a symbol of national unity, insisting that he should not be subject to regional domination. They stressed that every Nigerian, regardless of their state of origin or geopolitical zone, deserves respect.

Paulinus highlighted the forum’s call for the establishment of the South-South Development Commission as essential to ensure equity and justice in regional development, distinct from the NDDC, which serves as an interventionist agency for the region.

“To this end, the ‘Niger Delta Ex-Agitators Forum’ calls on Senator Godswill Akpabio, the Chairman of the National Assembly, and other federal lawmakers from the South-South to initiate and expedite the passage of a bill for the creation of the South-South Development Commission,” Paulinus said.

The forum also condemned the recent protests against President Bola Tinubu, urging Nigerians to be patient with the federal administration. They expressed confidence that the numerous programmes and policies under Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ will begin to yield positive results in the coming months and years.

Additionally, the ex-agitators noted that former President Dr Goodluck Jonathan’s tenure was marked by injustice, leading to his being denied a second term in office. They warned that a similar pattern is emerging with President Tinubu, with some Northern groups already calling for his removal barely a year into his administration. This contrasts sharply with the support Northern leaders gave to former President Muhammadu Buhari, who served two full terms despite significant security challenges.

The forum denounced this disparity as a destabilising force that threatened Nigeria’s unity and integrity and called for an immediate end to this trend of undermining Southern leadership. They cautioned that continued provocations might leave them with no choice but to take decisive action to protect their region and identity.

Paulinus also urged politicians from the South, including those in the South-West, South-East, and Middle-Belt, to unite under a Southern Nigerian Movement. He described this movement as being dedicated to defending and advancing the political, economic, and regional interests of the South and Middle Belt in the face of mounting challenges.