Ex-legislator, Sunny-Goli tackles Michael Johnny over allegations against NDDC MD

Former member, House of Representatives in the 9th Assembly, Hon. Israel Sunny-Goli, has dismissed the call by Chief Michael Johnny on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu not to renew the tenure of the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Samuel Ogbuku as the ranting of a rabble rouser and attention seeker.

Johnny, the Agadiwei of Gbaramatu Kingdom in Delta state, had cited malfeasance, maladministration, and politicisation of the Commission under the current leadership as the reason for his call on the President not to renew the tenure of Ogbuku as well as his call on the anti-graft agencies to investigate the NDDC under the current MD.

Sunny-Goli’s response is contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Yenagoa on Saturday.

He described Chief Johnny as a rabble rouser and an attention seeker, whose views contradict that of the majority of the people of the Niger Delta region, stressing that there is a consensus of opinion in the region that Dr. Ogbuku is the best thing to have happened to the Commission since its inception.

Sunny-Goli advised Chief Johnny to discard his self-centredness and dog-eat-dog mentality, as that has not served the Niger Delta well in the past.

The former lawmaker’s statement reads in part: “For the first time, the people of the Niger Delta region are feeling the impact of the interventionist agency through its people-centred initiatives, programmes, and policies.

“We have never had it this good as a people, as can be seen in the sense of belonging every well-meaning stakeholder has been accorded through the open-door policy of the Ogbuku-led NDDC.

“The NDDC under Ogbuku is intentional in facilitating the rapid and sustainable development of the Niger Delta region and has shown unwavering commitment in this regard.

“As we can all attest to, the Commission under Ogbuku is creating economic prosperity, social stability, ecological regeneration, and political peace in the region, which are the core mandate of the Commission.

“Look at the Youth Internship Scheme, for instance. It is a strategic initiative launched to support the professional growth and employability of Niger Delta youths.

“The programme aims to select 10,000 beneficiaries in its first phase, who will participate in a 12-month internship, to give them experiential learning opportunities that will enhance their personal development and industry, as well as add value to the region.

“The medical outreaches embarked upon by the Commission have been well received across the Niger Delta, as thousands have been provided with free medical services, including surgeries where needed.

“The NDDC under Ogbuku has delivered a lot of projects across the nine states of the Niger Delta, focusing on enhancing infrastructure, healthcare access, and agricultural development.

“The Commission’s commitment to empowering communities through education, skills training, and job creation is evident under Dr. Ogbuku’s leadership.

 “Initiatives like the NDDC Internship programme, the scholarship programme, and the Project Hope initiative give credence to this fact.

“Our communities are now becoming safer for our people, as the operation light-up the Niger Delta initiative, which is spreading across communities in the 9 States of the Niger Delta, is illuminating the nooks and crannies across the region with solar-powered light. These laudable initiatives have greatly reduced crime and criminality in the region.

“Most importantly, we have witnessed exceptional rectitude in the award of contracts, with due process being the watchword under the  Ogbuku administration.”

He called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to disregard the claims of Johnny Michael, as it is done in bad faith, allegedly because he has not been patronised as much as he would have loved to by the MD/CEO of the NDDC.

He said Michael Johnny has built a reputation for bullying and harassing public office holders from the Niger Delta in order to get patronised, and warned that they will no longer sit idly by and watch him denigrate illustrious individuals from the Niger Delta in his desperation to arm-twist them into patronising him.