Mr Kenedy Tonjo-West says the ruling All Progressives
Congress (APC) does not stand a chance in the forth coming 2019 general
elections in the Niger Delta region.
Tonjo-West, Senior Special Assistant on Niger Delta Youth
Matters to Gov Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa said the suspension of several
contracts that previously engaged the youths had thrown over 15,000 youths to
the labour market.
He said that a review of activities in the past three
years shows that the federal government was pursuing a deliberate policy of
economic stagnation targeted stifling growth at the region.
He noted that the revocation of pipeline surveillance
jobs which hitherto engaged some 9,000 Niger Delta youths without clearing
outstanding obligations had aggravated cases of oil theft.
“A look at activities in the region for the past three
and half years of the APC led Federal Government leaves much to be desired and
that is why the 2019 polls would be an opportunity for Niger Delta people o
speak through the ballot.
“All the palliatives put in place by previous
administrations to ameleriorate the sufferings o the Niger Delta region has
been halted by this administration, for instance the NNPC floating stations
have gone moribund.
“How can the people get refined products if not to resort
to illegally refined products with its resultant adverse effect on the already
battered and polluted environment ?
“Also see the Maritime University at Delta state, we
gathered that it is grossly underfunded, there has been a deliberate policy of
stifling the region and Gov Dickson and Gov Nwike have been shouting.
“The two governors have noted that there were
irregularities in the statutory revenues accruing to oil bearing states and the
issue came to the fore in the debacle at the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee
meetings lately, “ He said.
He also noted that expectations from the peace building
and fact finding tour embarked by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo have not been
met as the demands put forward by Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) remains
pending.
He said that the abysmal performance by APC has further
brightened the chances of PDP to bounce back and wrest power from APC.
He said that people of the region were saddened by the
total neglect of the Niger Delta and described the recent defection of former
Gov Godswill Akpabio, Victor Attah and Emmanuel Uduagha from PDP to APC.
He said that Niger Delta youths were disappointed by the
decision of the former governors to dump the PDP for selfish reasons saying
that the youths were poised to show solidarity with PDP in 2019 polls.
According to Tonjo-West, the PDP is more like a religion
in the Niger Delta region and is more liberal, experienced and boasts of
credible aspirants that can sweep the 2019 polls.
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