Niger Deltans Unite Under New Congress, Slam NNPCL Over ‘Family Affair’ Pipeline Surveillance Contract
In a resounding show of solidarity against perceived injustice, indigenes from the nine oil-producing states of the Niger Delta converged on Abuja yesterday, February 25, to vehemently condemn the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) for awarding the lucrative pipeline surveillance contract exclusively to members of one family, a decision they described as a blatant disregard for equity and the spirit of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
Gathering under one roof, these vocal representatives from Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Edo, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Imo, Ondo, and Abia states lambasted the federal government’s handling of the contract, insisting that the PIA explicitly mandates the involvement of host communities in the protection and management of oil facilities within their domains, and that outsourcing such critical responsibilities to outsiders amounts to nothing short of oppression, modern-day colonization, and a criminal betrayal of the people whose lands bear the brunt of oil exploration scars.
The fiery gathering, marked by passionate speeches and unyielding demands for fairness, culminated in the adoption of a new pan-Niger Delta platform christened the United Niger Delta Congress (UNDC), poised to champion equity, justice, and a fair deal for the region long plagued by ethnic marginalization and resource control inequities.
Participants resolved to weaponize this congress as a bulwark against the systemic exclusion of Niger Delta indigenes from the benefits of their natural endowments, vowing to pursue legal, diplomatic, and grassroots avenues to reclaim what they see as their rightful share in the nation’s oil wealth.
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“Asking another man to come to our communities to protect pipelines in our communities is unacceptable, unjust, and it amounts to oppression,” one speaker said, capturing the sentiment that electrified the hall and set the tone for the group’s renewed militancy. To steer this formidable new entity, the meeting elected a slate of dedicated leaders drawn from across the region, underscoring the congress’s commitment to broad representation.
Chief Julius Obi from Delta State emerges as the National President, with Hon. Dr. Emaluji from Cross River State serving as Secretary; Hon. Moses Obi Emeka of Imo State takes the role of National Vice President; Dr. Kenneth Lawson Osobugha from Bayelsa State is the National Financial Secretary; Chief Mathias Efe Olowu holds the position of National Publicity Secretary; Hon. Mrs. Gloria Osagbuwa from Edo State is the National Woman Leader; and Comrade Paul Ola from Ondo State rounds out the executive as National Treasurer.
As the United Niger Delta Congress hits the ground running, stakeholders watch keenly to see how this united front will pressure the authorities for a just redistribution of the pipeline surveillance contracts and broader resource equity.
