Gov Wike fulfills Oath of Office to defend Rivers People in foiling plot to abduct Ex-NDDC MD, Nunieh

A lawmaker representing Khana/Gokana Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives of Nigeria’s National Assembly, Rt. Hon. Dumnamene Robinson Dekor, was full of eulogy for Governor Nyesom Wike on his argent  intervention to foil and forestall the unlawful invasion of the residence of the former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Joi Nunieh, in the plot to abduct her last Thursday by the police. The police had invaded the residence of the former NDDC MD on the day she was to appear before the House of Representatives to make presentation on the House investigation of the corruption allegations in the NDDC.

Dekor acknowledged that the timely intervention of Governor Wike saved  the former NDDC MD from abduction which might have precipitated serious crisis in Rivers State beyond what the security operatives would have expected.

The Ogoni born Federal Lawmaker was of the view that the intervention demonstrated that Governor Wike is a true leader who understands the deeper meaning of his oath of office as the Chief Servant of the state and not of any political party.

The lawmaker who was a Commissioner of Works in Rivers State stated that had the formerNDDC MD, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), were a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), political actors would have misinterpreted  the exemplary courageous demonstration of leadership and statesmanship by Governor Wike to imply partisanship.

“But by coming out in defense of this noble daughter of the State irrespective of party affiliation, His Excellency has again proved his uncommon leadership trait and willingness to ensure that the fundamental human rights of all Rivers people are respected without necessarily encouraging them to disrespect the law or constituted authorities,” Dekor declared.

Dekoor condemned the siege on the residence of  Dr Joi Nunieh by the Police, contesting that the action by the law enforcement agents who ought to lead the way beats every sense of reason and has shown that we still live in a kind of brutish environment.”

He maintained: “If this could happen to a person of Dr. Nunieh’s status as a former NDDC Managing Director, who is not before any court of law or anti-graft agency for any wrong doing, how much more and safe are ordinary Nigerians.”

Rt. Hon Dekor requested  President Muhammadu Buhari to as a matter of urgent public importance intervene to unravel the mystery of the unfolding drama in the NDDC and the concomitant issues which tend to threaten the little that is left of the nation’s integrity before it’s completely eroded as the citizens’ rights are regularly trampled upon as though ‘we live in an animal kingdom’.

Dekor argued that if Dr. Nunieh is needed by the police for any reason, there are better and lawful means of inviting her than breaking into her house by over 50 armed security operatives acting in  a military commando manner as though she is a common criminal.

“Honestly it is very condemnable. We are not living in a police state. We are free Nigerians who have every right. I am surprised because in the first place, Dr. Joi Nunieh is my constituent and that is why I am particularly touched. She has been roundly intimidated for quite some time now. But the peak of it is what happened this morning,” the legislator remarked.

Dekor decried that the NDDC has lost steam of development, saying that the commission established to address the multiple development challenges of the Niger Delta has become a conduit to siphon all the monies meant for that purpose into the private pockets of greedy and incompetent lots.

He bemoaned that the many years the NDDC was established has been wasted, adding that there is nothing meaningful to show for all the monies earmarked for development all over the Niger Delta.

The legislator demanded President Buhari to dissolve the NDDC Interim Management Committee (IMC), declaring the members unfit to audit the commission.

“If the President is interested in ensuring that NDDC functions and they want to do a proper audit, I don’t think most of these characters who are running the place and who are even supervising them are supposed to be doing that,” Dekor declared.

The lawmaker urged the federal government to search for genuine  Nigerians, real Niger Delta indigenes who have competence and integrity to manage the NDDC, adding, “so we can have an NDDC that is going to run the place and build the place for all of us to live.  If not, what we see now, we are just like wasting our time.”