Ex MEND Leader, Ajube Accuses Chairman, Reps Committee, NDDC Of Diverting Funds Meant For Coastal Areas

By Ayodele Oni

Ex Niger Delta Agitator and leader Bibopere Ajube has decried total neglect of the coastal area of Ondo state by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

Coastal area of Ondo state has four local governments of Irele, Okitipupa, Ese Odo and Ilaje, that qualifies Ondo to be part of NDDC.

Ajube said rather than concentrating on development of these areas, funds are being diverted to Akoko area of he state, which is out of mandate area of NDDC.

He accused the management of the NDDC and Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on NDDC, Bunmi Tunji Ojo who is an indigene of Akoko, of diverting amenities meant for the Ondo state mandate areas to please his people.

In a statement in Akure on Monday, Ajube described as disturbing, a situation whereby benefits that should acrue to the people of Ilaje and Ese-Odo local government areas are enjoyed by those in the northern senatorial district, especially Akoko.

Ajube, who was Commander of the Western fringe of the defunct Movement for the Emnacipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), emphasized the need for  stakeholders to work hand in hand and call the NDDC management and Reps member to order.

Ajube’s allegation came barely 24 hours after  Ojo was said to have given about 1,000 Akoko students the sum of N50m as scholarship even as the NDDC disclosed that it had approved the resumption of bursary payment to student in the oil rich region.

“We suspect that someone is trying to play on the intelligence of the good people of Ilaje and Ese-Odo that fall within the mandate areas of the NDDC. Over time, we have watched how benefits that should be extended to the people of the mandate areas are diverted to Akoko.

“Without any grudge against anyone, we are however amazed that this development has relegated our people to the background as they are now like beggars who have to prostrate to derive benefits.

“The most recent ugly development is the noise about the scholarship reportedly approved by Hon. Ojo to Akoko students.

“There is more to this because as the report came without any of our students from Ilaje and Ese-Odo, the NDDC came out to announce that it had approved the resumption of bursary payment. So who is fooling who, we ask?

“I therefore call on the NDDC management as well Hon. Ojo to reconsider their anti people stance against the good people of Ilaje/Ese-Odo by including them in their programmes rather than alienating the riverine areas of Ondo State.”

The NDDC had on Friday said it had resumed the suspended scholarship scheme as part of efforts to eradicate poverty in the Niger Delta region.

Mr Udengs Eradiri, Special Adviser on Youths to the Interim Administrator, NDDC, Dr Effiong Akwa, who announced the development, said that it was part of NDDC’s commemoration of the International Youth Day and ongoing Niger Delta Talent Hunt to discover and empower talented youths in the region.

But the Special Adviser Ojo, Babatunde Alao, described the allegation as spurious and unfounded lies, saying it was a personal empowerment programme to empower his people.

Alao recounted that the lawmaker’s scholarship initiatives are amongst numerous programmes sponsored by the BTO Foundation for the people of Akoko North East/North West Federal Constituency.

According to him, it was part of the recent empowerment programmes that was done recently to include free UTME forms and free medical/surgical outreach.

“How can the form for NDDC Scholarship be placed for download on BTO’s personal website?”

He explained further that Federal lawmakers only get constituency projects, adding that “Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo’s role as the Chairman, House Committee on NDDC is oversight, nothing more. “He does not execute projects.”