…As Ayiri Blame regional leaders for Niger Delta Underdevelopment

By Eben Enasco Kingsley, Benin City

Following the emergence of Niger-Delta Avengers,NDA,  in the oil rich Niger delta region of Nigeria, the deputy speaker of Edo state house of assembly, Hon. Justin Okonoboh has called on the federal government to engage the group in dialogue to end incessant bombing of pipelines in the area .

Hon. Justin Okonoboh

Okonoboh proffered that,the best option going by the achievements of such during the late president Umaru Yar’adua administration through the amnesty programme.

Okonoboh’s made this assertions on the heels of a statement credited to a  chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) chief Ayeri Emani calling on indigenes of the Niger delta region not to see the current challenges affecting the region as a making of the present administration under president Mohammadu Buhari.

Chief Ayeri in his statement commended buhari led administration while heaping  blames on present and past leaders of the region including former president Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for all such woos doing little or nothing towards the development of the land.

Ayeri made this known on Friday in Benin City at a “consolidate the change mantra” solidarity rally by the all progressives congress (APC) south-south zone ahead of the Edo state 2016 governorship election coming up in September 10.

The APC chieftain condemned the resurgence of militancy in the region, saying there is nothing worth avenging for in the Niger Delta.

Ayeri supported military confrontation and the use of force to check mate criminal elements in the region who go about vandalizing, bombing and destruction of national assets in the name of avenging on behalf of indigenes of the oil rich region.

He said the security agency has a constitutional role of protecting oil facilities in the area and as law enforcement apparatus, deviant are meant to be checked by them.

“Six, seven years ago, we had similar problem when the clamour for dialogue was high. And indeed we had the opportunity to produce the president of this country for six years and we did nothing with it.

“In Otuoke, there is no water to drink. If I am a president for two, three days, I should be able to provide water. There is no good roads in Otuoke and you come out, blame somebody from the north.

“We should firstly, blame ourselves. The problem we are having here is caused by us. So don’t put the blame on president Buhari,” Ayeri advised.

The Edo deputy speaker who is also the member representing Igueben constituency in the state assembly spoke in an exclusively to our correspondent in Benin City said engaging in military confrontation will cause more resources and damages to the country.

Okonoboh maintain that through strategy dialogue in a carrot stick approach, the group can lay down their arms, embraced peace and work for the good of the nation.

Okonoboh, on other issues, expressed joy on the recent impeachment of the former speaker, Hon. Victor Edoror said this was done in good fate since majority of the lawmakers lost confidence in him and his leadership as speaker of the house.

He noted that though, his impeachment altered the political equations in the state, the decision was however forthright so long through his removal Edo people has a lot to gain in the current 6th assembly under the present leadership led by the state first female speaker, Rt. Hon. Elizabeth Ativie.

Earlier, the Deputy Speaker disclose to National Daily  that as part of his constituency development program he will construct two customary court in his local government area which will be cited at Igueben Village which is the headquarters of the local government while the other will be constructed at Ekpon where he hails from.