The interventionist agency, Niger Delta Development Commission, (NDDC) would have been worse off but for the timely intervention of Nigerian president, Muhammadu Buhari, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio and Mr Effiong Akwa, the interim administrator of the Commission.
Former Deputy Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, CRSHA, Chief Orok Otu Duke, said this in Calabar, Thursday, while assessing the performance of the agency since it was set up.
Duke, who was the Niger Delta delegate to the 2014 National Constitutional Conference, described Buhari, Akpabio and Akwa as “the Trinity that rescued NDDC.”
His word: “The Honourable Minister for Niger-Delta, Senator Godswill Akpabio, had sought to drain the murky swamp of sleaze he discovered in NDDC, President Buhari had benevolently acceded and granted a carte blanche access, and an ally cum competent professional was found in the person of Pastor Efiong Akwa. They were three, who made a success of the task. That is my Trinity – Mr President, The Hon. Minister and The Interim Administrator.
“When Senator Akpabio set out to make a success of this particular assignment, he was aware that failure would not only tarnish his enviable record in public service, but would further delay and frustrate the hopes and wishes of the people of our region; and dash the desire of Mr President to turn around our dwindling fortunes and bequeath a clean slate to our people to rewrite their story. A story of hope, peace and wealth.
“In delivering this assignment, the Trinity had to endure taunts, travel to the swamps and through the creeks (amid the sharks and crocodiles) and engage all the stakeholders to achieve success.
“Archimedes had said: ‘Give me a fulcrum, and I shall move the world. Give me a firm spot on which to stand, and I shall move the earth.’ And, that has always been the Hon. Minister’s mantra.
“We have arrived at the new dawn, despite the initial expression of apathy, expression of misgivings and general reticence. The much heralded ‘Forensic Audit’ of the NDDC has come and gone and we look forward to a better formatted future for the generality of the Niger-Delta citizens.
“Thank you President Mohammadu Buhari, for giving Senator Akpabio and Pastor Efiong Akwa the opportunity to continue to serve Nigeria. Like Oliver Twist, we want some more.”
