Ahead of the May 29 inauguration of Bola Tinubu as President, a Coalition of Niger Delta Groups have appealed to the President-elect to appoint one of their sons to oversee the Ministry of Petroleum Resources as Petroleum Minister.
The groups include the Niger Delta for Progress Coalition, Niger Delta Youths Alliance, South-South Youths Assembly and the Ijaw Economic Council.
In a statement issued on Wednesday morning in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, the coalition said the Niger Delta region deserve a Petroleum Minister and not Minister of State.
The statement was endorsed by Comrades Dickson Ekerefe and Godswill Sylvester, Acting Chairman and Secretary of the Coalition respectively, on behalf of the groups.
According to the coalition, the people of South East region can have the slot for the Senate Presidency of the 10th National Assembly in the spirit of fairness, justice and equity.
The statement reads in part, “The incoming Bola Ahmed Tinubu presidency should be inclusive and fair to all region. It is on this ground of fairness in terms of appointments into key positions in the incoming government that we plead with the President-elect to reserve the slot of the Minister of Petroleum Resources for the Niger Delta region.
“We have great sons both home and abroad well qualified to fit in as Petroleum Minister and steer the affairs of the Petroleum Ministry to greater heights to the admiration of all, and to the credits of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu presidency.
“In the same spirit of fairness, we strongly recommend that our brothers in the East can have the Senate Presidency slot to quell restiveness in the region by giving them the opportunity to produce the next Senate President.”
Some prominent Niger Delta sons believed to be interested in the position of Petroleum Minister include Senator Godswill Akpabio (Akwa-Ibom), Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, former APC governorship candidate (APC); and Governor Nyesom Wike (Rivers).
While South East senators that have so far declared interest in the Senate Presidency include Orji Kalu (Abia), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi) and Osita Izunaso (Imo).
