As the 7-day ultimatum issued by a former Niger Delta militant, Government Ekpemupolo, also known as Tompolo, to the Federal Government to constitute the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) ends today, another ex-agitator and now Traditional Ruler of Okochiri Kingdom in Okrika Local Government of Rivers State, His Royal Majesty, King Michael Ateke Tom, Sekuro of Niger Delta, has declared his support for Tompolo’s ultimatum.

King Michael Ateke Tom called on President Muhammadu Buhari to display his penchant for an open ear and heed to the clamour by stakeholders in the Niger Delta region to immediately reconstitute a substantive board for the NDDC to avert the return of hostilities to the region.

The former Leader of the Niger Delta Vigilante Force (NDVF), who made this declaration via a statement signed by his Chief of Staff, Chief Tamunokonbia Akaluogbo and made available to news men in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, said this posture was borne out of the desire of stakeholders to sustain the existing peace in the region despite the rising insecurity in the North-East, South-East, and other regions.

The Okochiri Traditional Ruler warned that the Federal Government may regret their actions should they fail to immediately constitute a substantive board for the NDDC, describing the forensic audit of the commission ordered by the President, which the Minister of Niger delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio blamed for not constituting the NDDC Board, as “unending”.

According to the NDDC Act, the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) shall comprise a Chairman, one representative of each of the nine oil producing states (Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo, and Rivers), three persons to represent the non-oil mineral producing States, one representative of the oil producing communities, one representative each of the Ministries of Finance and Environment, the Managing Director of the commission, and two Executive Directors.

These shall be appointed by the President subject to the confirmation of the Senate, in consultation with the House of Representatives to serve for a term of four years.

This declaration by the former Niger Delta agitator is the latest in a rising clamour for the constitution of Board for the NDDC. The Ijaw National Congress (INC), Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), among other groups have asked Buhari to respect the law setting up the commission, the NDDC Act, and constitute a board for the commission but the President was yet to accede to popular demand by the people of the region.

So far, leaders of various groups of Niger Delta ex-agitators have expressed their agreement with the planned shutdown of facilities of oil and gas multinationals and other Federal Government assets in the region if the Federal Government through the office of the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs fails to constitute a substantive board for the NDDC.

King Ateke Tom said the decision to back the 7-day ultimatum was due to the continued insincerity and an alleged open deceit adopted by the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, in handling the affairs of the NDDC and the region at large.

Meanwhile, in the wake of the ultimatum by Tompolo, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio had flown hastily to Oporoza in Gbaramatu Kingdom in Delta State to meet with the ex-militant. He later told journalists after the meeting that he would fast-track the process of constituting the NDDC Board.

Kristina Reports reliably learnt that Akpabio was told by the unsmiling Tompolo, accompanied by the President of INC, and other Ijaw leaders, to return to Abuja and ensure the board was constituted. It remains to be seen what happens after midnight of Saturday, June 5, 2021, which marks the expiration of the seven days ultimatum.