Youth leaders, under the auspices of Niger
Delta Coalition for Peace and Progress (NDCPP) on Sunday congratulated Atiku Abubakar
for winning the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential primaries.
The group said that the successful hosting of
the primaries in Port Harcourt was an indication that the region was peaceful
under the leadership of PDP state governments.
They commended Gov Nyisom Nwike, Gov Ifeanyi Okowa who chaired the
convention planning committee and Prince
Uche Secondus , PDP National Chairman for successfully hosting the convention
NDCPP,
however noted that Atiku owes the Niger Delta and former president Jonathan an
apology for leaving PDP in the build up to the 2015 elections which denied the
region a second term I the Presidency..
The youth group in a statement issued by its
Spokesperson, Charles Kalada Dan-Jumbo, at the sidelines of the ongoing PDP
Presidential Primaries noted that such apology was necessary even though the
region had forgiven Atiku.
The
youth group noted that exodus of Atiku
and other PDP leaders to the All Progressives Congress was partly responsible
for the loss of the 2015 presidential elections.
“Suffice to say that the Niger Delta region
has always played a pivotal role in the shaping of the character and content of
the nation called Nigeria. The just concluded primaries adjudged the best so
far was midwifed by Niger Delta people and hsted in the Niger Deta.
“This can be displayed in the key roles great
sons and daughters of the region have played in the history of the country, but
yet she's the most abused, the most deprived, the most conned, and the most
undermined.
“As youths of the Niger Delta we felicitate
with the Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency, Chief Barr. Nyesom Ezebunwo
Wike for facilitating the hosting of such a historic event in the Niger Delta.
“Of course we cannot overemphasize the
economic benefits of this occasion, but one thing is sure, and that is the fact
that the decision to reclaim Nigeria in 2019 was made in Port Harcourt in the
heart of Niger Delta region.
“Painfully, we all pretend like yesterday
never existed, especially those of us who were key actors in disposing of the
previous Govt.
“Today we must learn to apologise for our
wrong deeds to rebuild trust else everything we present now is on a fallacious
foundation.
“The coalition of Niger Delta youth leaders
join forces to insist that the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Rt. Hon Aminu
Waziri Tambuwal, Rabiu Kwankwaso and Atiku Abubarkar all render an apology to the
Niger Delta region and former President
Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for denying the region of a well deserved second tenure.
“Their action was due to impatience and
misconstrued perceptions, especially since that same government took us from a
weak economy to the No 1 economy in Africa.
“Around
2014 and early 2015, Nigeria was named the third fastest growing economy in the
world by CNNMoney, with China and Qatar, taking the lead at 7.3 percent, 7.1
percent gross domestic product growth,” the statement read in part.
The
group explained that the efforts and support to the emergence of Atiku by
leaders of the Niger Delta region was an indication that they had put the
events proceeding the 2015 elections behind them,”
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