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By Tony John
Coalition of Ex-agitators of Niger Delta (CEND), has withdrawn the 5-day ultimate given to the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr Samuel Ogbuku, asking him to resign from office.
The coalition also apologised to Ogbuku and urged him to continue the good work he was doing at the commission.
The group in a statement jointly signed by its national coordinator, Chief Gershom M Gbobo and spokesman, Mr Ellington Bakumor, said the earlier statement was hasty and not intended to ridicule the hard-earned reputation of Dr Ogbuku who had made a lot of sacrifices for the region from his early days till date.
The group said: “We unequivocally write to apologise to the Managing Director of NDDC Dr Samuel Ogbuku and retract our earlier published 5-day ultimatum to vacate the commission or face the wrath of the ex-agitators.
“In spite of all these, the boss, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, who values and holds Niger Delta youths in high esteem, graciously forgave us and gave a listening ear to our concerns and cause of earlier agitation like a true father leader.
“We are glad to inform you that the NDDC boss, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, holds no ill feelings towards the ex-agitators and as a man of his words has pledged that the Commission will sponsor the training of Niger Delta youths and has also rolled out different empowerment programmes for the region.
“He has also promised to partner the Amnesty Office to ensure that ex-agitators are properly reintegrated into the society through entrepreneurship empowerment and other programmes.
“We the coalition of ex-agitators of Niger Delta, are hereby appealing to the youths of the region to sheath their sword and give the Dr Samuel Ogbuku-led NDDC board their support and assistance to actualise the set targets, for the development of the area and human capacity building; this is no longer the time to pull down our own.”
