Tracereporters –Hon. Napoleon Perezide has lambasted former Spokesman of Ijaw Youths Council IYC, Comrade Ebilade Ekerefe for his ill-mannered and unguarded statement against Chief Michael Johnny.
It will be recalled that Ekerefe on Friday, made derogatory comments against Johnny, a chieftain of All Progressives Congress APC who had called for the probing of NDDC.
In swift reaction on Friday in Warri, Perezide noted that Ekerefe, only showed his sycophantic and myopic character.
Perezide said, “ The Minister of Niger Delta, Abubakar Momoh, recently revealed that the forensic report on the spending of N81.5 billion appropriated to the Niger Delta Development Commission between January and July 2020 cannot be found. I expect Comrade Ebilade Ekerefe to issue a statement on that”
“ We have not forgotten the act of betrayal, and selfish role that Ebilade Ekerefe and his cohorts played after issuing ultimatum to constitute the substantive NDDC Board, which never happened, and of course water passed under the bridge”
Perezide said, the former Spokesman of IYC Ekerefe should also check himself and seek for forgiveness from God and the people of Delta region.
“ Let me also remind Ebilade Ekerefe that the respected Monarch of Gbaramatu Kingdom found Chief Michael Johnny worthy deserving and gave him the chieftaincy of Agadiwei of Gbaramatu Kingdom. Chief Michael Johnny is loved by his people of Gbaramatu Kingdom. He lives amongst his people in the community and the love the people have for Michael Johnny is shown at every election by voting for All Progressives Congress APC “
Perezide continued, “ Ekerefe exhibited childishness and ignorance. Chief Michael Johnny was never in dispute with his brothers in Gbaramatu. And whatever transpired between Chief Michael Johnny and his brothers is a forgotten issue, though caused or was the handiwork of mischief-makers to malign Chief Michael Johnny”
He said Johnny, a chieftain of All Progressives Congress APC has not done anything wrong by calling for a probe on NDDC.
“ I can understand why Ekerefe was so quick to attack Johnny, which he ( Ekerefe) did for personal interest as well. However, there is nobody in Niger Delta who does not know that kickbacks from contractors is a standard practice and culture in NDDC”
“ I totally disagree with Ekerefe when he lied that most stakeholders in the region are happy with the NDDC, and the question would be what has NDDC done or achieved differently”
“ Chief Michael Johnny has the moral right to question what the NDDC Board on what they are doing and how they have been managing the resources accruing to the Commission to develop the region “
“ We are yet to see a significant impact of NDDC in Niger Delta region, despite the Billions of naira received by the Commission. They may have done some few works, that will not stop any indigene of Niger Delta including Micheal Johnny from asking for accountability”
