Following the appointment of Asu Okang by President Bola Tinubu, several protesters on Thursday stormed the streets of Abuja to voice their displeasure to Tinubu’s choice of a PDP member to serve as the commissioner representing Cross River State on the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

It would be recalled that the selection of a new board and management group for the NDDC received President Tinubu’s approval on Tuesday, August 29.

However, Wednesday’s demonstration at Abuja follows a similar one that was staged in Calabar, the capital of Cross River.

The APC supporters who argued that it would be unfair for the President to choose a PDP member to reap the benefits of their labour objected to the appointment of Okang as the Cross River representative on the NDDC board.

Under the auspices of Cross River APC Stakeholders, a group of disgruntled party members organized Thursday’s protest in Abuja.

The demonstrators began a peaceful march from the well-known Unity Fountain to the National Assembly while chanting songs of unity and waving multiple placards that read, “Asu Okang not an APC member,” “Cross River an APC State, not PDP,” and “Cross River rejects Asu Okang as NDDC commissioner.”

Bukkie Okangbe, the group’s leader who spoke to journalists, pleaded with the President to reward their devotion by removing Okang and letting the state governor make the decision.

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She said, “We are here because we want to send a message to the ruling party and President Bola Tinubu that injustice is not good. This is the season of injustice to Cross River and we will not keep quiet. If we have to protest every day, we will continue to do it until we are heard.

“The Cross River stakeholders have been on the ground since yesterday (Wednesday). Our message is clear. The NDDC slot given to one of our brothers is not a bad idea. But we believe in a reward system of those who work deserves a reward. Somebody who fought against the APC system should not be the first person to benefit from it.

“Even if they say this is a unity government, let the people who work benefit from the reward. We totally reject the slot of NDDC given to Asu Okang. We will continue to protest until the right thing is done. There are so many APC stalwarts in Cross River who are more qualified and should represent us in the NDDC. These are the people who should be appointed, not people brought from another party. We are therefore rejecting the NDDC slot for Cross River.

“If our leader, the governor of Cross River State, has been asked to choose for us, nobody will be here today. We will be fine with it. But as long as the hand of the governor is not there, we will keep agitating until the right thing is done. Enough of injustice to Cross River State. You are aware that we just protested being denied the Women Leader’s slot last week.

“That’s why I lamented earlier that it is a season for Cross River State to receive injustice from the party. It is so sad because we worked so hard for this Renewed Hope. I don’t think this is from Mr President. That’s because I know who he is. I worked with him for three good years before his presidential election. I am sure Mr President will listen to us and do the right thing for the APC camp on Cross River State.”

The new board and management team consisted of Chiedu Ebie, Chairman (Delta), Samuel Ogbuku, Managing Director/CEO (Bayelsa), Boma Iyaye, Executive Director of Finance and Administration (Rivers), Victor Antai, Executive Director of Projects (Akwa-Ibom), Ifedayo Abegunde, Executive Director for Corporate Services (Ondo), Dimaro Denyanbofa, State Representative

Asu Oku Okang, State Representative (Cross River), Dimgba Eruba, State Representative (Abia), Patrick Aisowieren, State Representative (Edo), Kyrian Uchegbu, State Representative (Imo), Victor Kolade Akinjo, State Representative (Ondo), Nick Wende, Zonal Representative (North Central), Namdas Abdulrazak, Zonal Representative (North East), and Ibrahim Abdullahi Gobir, Zonal Representative (North West) are additional representatives.

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