The National leadership of the Southern Youth Foundation of Nigeria, SYF and the Orashi National Congress, ONC, which are the embodiment of focused, vibrant, productive and highly resourceful groups in Nigeria, have condemned in very strong terms the unwarranted media attacks against Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, the Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), whom the groups described as an outstanding illustrious son of the Niger Delta that has distinguished himself in so many areas and ways.
In a statement in Port Harcourt on Thursday 22nd August, 2024, signed by Comrade Amb. Emeni Ibe, National President Southern Youth Foundation of Nigeria and President General of Orashi National Congress, the groups carpeted the poorly worded and ill-concieved press release by some disgruntled and very insignificant fellows, who were purportedly calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to redeploy Senator Heineken Lokpobiri from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and possibly sack him due to alleged incompetence.
Comrade Amb. Emeni Ibe said, “It is quite unfortunate that the baseless accusation by the miserable and very frustrated youths was actually a well calculated attempt at misleading gullible members of the public to hate Senator Lokpobiri, whom they erroneously accused of creating avoidable artificial fuel scarcity that is making Nigerians to go through excruciating pains and hardship, which is not true in any way”.
“Informed and very sensitive Nigerians know all the contentious issues including the high level of sabotage by antagonistic elements, who are not happy and afraid of the good works of Mr. President that shall in the long run result into a reformed, transformed and repositioned Nigeria of our dream.”
“We stated that it is indeed sad and very shameful that those who accused Senator Lokpobiri, a man who had earlier served as pioneer Speaker of Bayelsa State House of Assembly, two times Senator of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, where he served meritoriously and left indelible legacies and former Minister of State for Agriculture of incompetence, do not even know the difference between the substantive Minister of Petroleum Resources and the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil).”
“It is pathetic, worst and almost unbelievable that those who accused a Doctor of Law (Ph.D) of incompetence, do not even know that their allegation about incompetence was a direct indictment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ,who is the substantive super Minister of Petroleum Resources, when Nigerians know the immeasurable and invaluable sacrifices and efforts of Mr. President to fix the rot in the country and also block all leakages.”
While speaking with the media in Port Harcourt, the leadership of the Southern Youth Foundation of Nigeria, which is one of the most formidable youth pressure groups in the South and Nigerian state in general, while dismissing the irrelevant and very baseless allegation, submitted that it is common knowledge that the Renewed Hope administration inherited the present crisis in the petroleum sector including petroleum subsidy.
The groups also hinted that relevant documents show that subsidy was never budgetted for in the 2023 Budget that it inherited from the previous administration and it was worsened by the fact that the Buhari administration sold Nigeria’s crude oil in advance. Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, the Governor of Kwara State, who doubles as Chairman of Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), confirmed the above fact through a statement that was issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye.
Speaking on behalf of the respected groups, Amb Emeni Ibe concluded that it was preposterous and mischievous also for young people who are striving for greatness to blame such sensitive issue and well known facts on an innocent man that places so much premium on service delivery and on the empowerment, growth and development of his people.
He reiterated that it is an indisputable fact that the Ministry of Petroleum Resources within the last one year has experienced unprecedented rapid improvement in production and over all performance of the ministry and all the parastatals and agencies under the Ministry where Senator Heineken Lokpobiri serves as the junior Minister. Instead of commendation and appreciation, he is being vilified and demonized by visionless young people who are throwing tantrums.
Aside passing a Vote of Confidence on Senator Heineken Lokpobiri for his good works, the leadership of both groups used the medium afforded by the press briefing to urge Niger Deltans to learn to support their elected and appointed leaders including representatives, who they are supposed to build synergy instead of trying to pull them down.