Chief Mike Loyibo, one of the Niger Delta leaders has absolved President Muhammadu Buhari from blame on the age-long neglect of the Niger Delta region.
He stated this in an interview with Daily Sun newspapers. While answering questions, he blamed the underdevelopment of the region on leaders who have served as governors of the region who did not make use of the 13% derivation fund.
While speaking on the recent visit of the Vice President to the Warri, Delta State, he said the visit showed Buhari's determination to tackle the Niger Delta problems.
His words: ''For us as leaders that are the true representatives of the people, there is no better time than now. The visit of the presidency to the heart of the problem, that’s the core Niger Delta area, is the best thing to be able to assess first hand; it is a fact-finding visit. What are the problems? How do we get out of it? For us as leaders, it shows that the presidency is actually committed and genuinely concerned in addressing in a very holistic manner the age-long neglect of the Niger Delta.
''When the Vice President went there, he said, Niger Delta is a special zone and it needs to be treated that way and that’s why he announced that by September, the academic activities of the Maritime University will kick off and that’s one of the best news we have been expecting as a people. So, for us, that visit was timely, proactive and it shows the leaders are committed to solving this age-long problem for once. After all, the problem is not Osinbajo’s problem.''
Absolving President Buhari from blame for the problems of the region, the Niger Delta leader said the problems were actually caused by Niger Delta people who, he said, are supposed to hold the governors of the region to account for the 13% derivation fund to oil-producing states.
''It is not Buhari’s problems. The problem was caused by we Niger-Delta people because when you blame the center everyday for all these problems, we have not asked questions about our 13 percent derivation money; what do the governors at that level do with the money? So, everyday we run to the center, saying you have not done this and that, we have not been able to ask questions among ourselves. So, there is a leadership problem in our area. As far as I am concerned, the problem is not a Buhari problem. It was caused by we, the Niger Delta people.
He criticised former President Jonathan for his inability to address the problems of the region while in office as Nigeria's president seeing that the region is the place of his nativity.
''Have we also asked questions? Our son and brother was there for years, what was the take home achievement? You see, we keep on blaming the government. After all, the MD of NDDC, is he an Hausa man? Somehow, we should also ask an internal question on how we manage the little resources that have been given to us before we talk.''
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