President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been described as a visionary leader and the only viable choice for the sustained development, growth and progress of Nigeria, at this time of its nationhood.
The assertion was contained in a statement issued by the Conference of Niger Delta Coastal/Riverine People, a body of multi-sector professionals from the coastal and riverine communities of the Niger Delta region, living at home and abroad.
The statement signed by its Chairman, Hon Lawrence Etta, and National Coordinator/Director of Mobilisation, Mr Fred Edoreh, alongside its Secretary, Public Relations and Research Officers, Henry Babatunde, Wilson Bodise, and Comrade Victor Ibok ANIPR, called on the public not to be swayed by distractive political propaganda, but to support the administration’s ongoing reforms and multifaceted opening up of the country, which it says are necessary to secure the sustained development and future growth of the nation.
The group said it is particularly pleased with the attention being paid by both the Federal, the member state governments and the Niger Delta Development Commission, to the development of the coastal and riverine communities of the Niger Delta, pointing out that the measures will go a long way to reverse effects of decades of neglect.
“For us of the Niger Delta coastal and riverine communities, we are particularly happy with the deliberate focus on the development and opening up of our area. The ongoing construction of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is a game-changer for our people, minding not only the immediate employment and enterprise opportunities it accords our people, but the long-term benefits of connectivity and boost in economic activities on our coastal and riverine corridors.
“We note that while the road had been in the national development plan, as far back as in the 1950s, it has taken only President Tinubu to give it effect, almost 70 years after.
“His firm support for the Niger Delta Development Commission has also led to improvements in its operations, resulting in the delivery of several hitherto abandoned projects, alongside new ones, across the Niger Delta.
“In the same vein, increased allocations to the states has enabled the governors to deliver several significant projects in our riverine communities, against the usual excuse that our terrain is expensive to develop.
“Development results from deliberate and intentional actions, and we are very happy that the Tinubu administration has demonstrated the highest commitment to the development of our coastal and riverine communities. We can only imagine the consolidation of these measures in his second term, and the risk of their discontinuity if someone else takes over the mantle of leadership.
“For these reasons, we are calling on all true sons and daughters of the Niger Delta region to stand solid with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027. To do otherwise would amount to betraying, not him, but ourselves, our people, our communities, and foregoing our own development.
“As a group, we are committed to the advocacy for the development of our region and the education and enlightenment of our people on the imperatives and best directions of our political time.”
“On the larger issues of national governance, we have taken time to examine the policies, projects and programmes of the administration, and we are convinced that they are the way to go, not only to salvage, but to ensure the sustained development
and growth of our nation.
“Leadership requires vision, sincerity of purpose and boldness to act, and President Tinubu has demonstrated these virtues. We recall that the issue of fuel subsidy removal, for instance, had been in national discourse for over two decades. Statistics indicate that while President Olusegun Obasanjo and Umaru Yar’Adua administrations expended about N812 billion and N794 billion, respectively, on subsidy, the bill grew to about N3.9 trillion under President Goodluck Jonathan and galloped to about N11 trillion under President Muhammadu Buhari.
“It is needless to say that such dissipation of national revenue on a single product affected the availability of funds for the development of other sectors. We also note that virtually all Presidential candidates from 2019 to 2023, also indicated that they will remove the subsidy, but while various administrations attempted, they lacked the political will, until Tinubu acted.
“With that bold action, national revenue has been freed up to fund multi sector enablement and infrastructural development of the country.
“In the same vein, the administration has fully freed up the power sector, giving lease to sub-regional governments to establish their off-national-grid power generation, transmission and distribution systems, which is expected to result in adequate, efficient and manageable provision of electricity.
“It is just as there has been focus on local governments, to enable them deliver on their mandate to their local communities, not only through direct but also increased allocation.
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“These, together with the resolution to establish state police to rejig our national security architecture, point to a systematic devolution of power and resources from the Federal Government to the states and local governments, to reinforce the foundations of governance across the nation.
“While there must surely be some difficulties in reforms, the measures are beginning to yield fruits across all sectors, from the redevelopment and realignment of road infrastructure, to education, agriculture, power and human capital development.”
