Stakeholders in Ondo oil communities want NDDC board member, Atikase sacked

—— Accuse him of nepotism, maltreatment of office, diversion of empowerment funds

—– l won’t dice if Mr President removes maine – Atikase replies

By Dayo Johnson, Akure

Stakeholders and a conjugation of Youth Movements from the Oil rich-Producing areas of Ondo State person called for the contiguous removal of the state’s typical connected the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Hon. Otito Atikase.

This was contained successful a petition written to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and signed by implicit 30 radical from the lipid producing communities.

They accused Atikase of neglect of the communities helium was appointed to represent,gross misconduct, maltreatment of office,

The radical described Atikase’s behaviour arsenic a betrayal of nationalist spot and a disservice to the developmental objectives of the Niger Delta.

According to them the NDDC committee subordinate has remained mostly invisible successful the oil-producing communities since assuming office, failing to prosecute younker groups, accepted rulers, and section stakeholders.

They besides alleged that his lack has deprived Ondo State of just practice and entree to NDDC projects.

The petitioners further accused Atikase of cornering the 4 employment slots allocated to Ondo State by the NDDC, allegedly distributing them to members of his contiguous family.

They besides alleged that funds meant for the 2023 and 2024 NDDC Youth Empowerment Programmes were diverted done proxy accounts for idiosyncratic summation and selling disconnected alleviation materials provided by the NDDC for victims of biology degradation successful the state’s lipid belt.

“These actions magnitude to gross maltreatment of office, greed, and unfastened disregard for the principles of fairness and accountability.

“His behaviour is an embarrassment to Ondo State and a betrayal of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.”

They declared that Atikase has mislaid credibility and nary longer commands the assurance of the people, insisting helium lacks the motivation lasting to proceed representing the authorities connected the NDDC board.

“The NDDC was created to empower the Niger Delta, not to service arsenic a idiosyncratic empire for disconnected politicians,” the radical added.

While stressing that their request was not politically motivated, the conjugation said it was rooted successful the request for accountability and effectual practice of Ondo State’s oil-producing communities.

While issuing a one-week ultimatum to the presidency to enactment connected their request oregon look wide protests crossed the authorities and astatine NDDC offices, they said that “We volition not proceed to beryllium soundless spectators portion our portion suffers from neglect and misrepresentation. The clip for alteration is now.

“Our protests volition beryllium peaceful but unrelenting until justness is done. The radical person spoken — it is clip to act. Enough is enough.

While rreaffirming their loyalty to President Tinubu and his Renewed Hope Agenda, the petitioners said their telephone was aimed astatine protecting the integrity of the medication and ensuring that improvement reaches the people.

“This telephone is not against the authorities but successful defence of it. Removing Atikase is indispensable to reconstruct assurance successful the NDDC and safeguard the integrity of the President’s improvement imaginativeness for the Niger Delta,” they said.

Contacted to remark connected the allegations, Atikase neither confirmed nor denied the claims.

He declared that “Let them spell and conscionable Mr President to region me. If the president removes me, I won’t die.

” They don’t merit response. I americium a portion clip committee absorption and I americium not the management, my ain is to spell to the committee gathering erstwhile successful 4 months .

“Those calling for my removal are doing it for a intent but not retired of genuine involvement for the people. ‎If the president removes maine I volition spell location and volition not die. That’s my absorption to the allegations.” Atikase declared

The station Stakeholders successful Ondo lipid communities privation NDDC committee member, Atikase sacked appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.