Niger Delta Youth leaders, under the auspices of Niger Delta Coalition for Peace and Progress has demanded that returnee aspirants who left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the build up to the 2015 elections should apologise to the former President and the Niger Delta region.

The youth group in a statement issued by its Spokesperson, Charles Kalada Dan-Jumbo, at the sidelines of the ongoing PDP Presidential Primaries noted that such apology was necessary even though the region had forgiven.

The youth group noted that exodus of PDP leaders to the All Progressives Congress (APC) was partly responsible for the loss of the 2018 presidential elections.

It said that on the backdrop of the activities that trailed the 2015 presidential elections, “one would hardly believe that there’ll be another mustering of Nigerians craving for succor from an epidemic majority of us brought upon the nation.”

The statement reads in part: “Suffice to say that the Niger Delta region has always played a pivotal role in the shaping of the character and content of the nation called Nigeria.

“This can be displayed in the key roles great sons and daughters of the region have played in the history of the country, but yet she’s the most abused, the most deprived, the most conned, and the most undermined.

“As youths of the Niger Delta we felicitate with the Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency, Chief Barr. Nyesom Ezebunwo Wike for facilitating the hosting of such a historic event in the Niger Delta.

“Of course we cannot over-emphasise the economic benefits of this occasion, but one thing is sure, and that’s the fact that the decision to reclaim Nigeria from the doldrums will be made here in Port Harcourt against 2019.

“Painfully, we all pretend like yesterday never existed, especially those of us who were key actors in disposing of the previous Govt. Today we must learn to apologise for our wrong deeds to rebuild trust else everything we present now is on a fallacious foundation.

“The Niger Delta Coalition for Peace and Progress, The Niger Delta non -violence Youth Leaders Assembly, Niger Delta Ex Agitators Forum, and the Niger Delta Ex Freedom Fighters join forces to insist that the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Rt. Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, His Excellency Rabiu Kwankwaso and former vice president Atiku Abubarkar all render an unreserved apology to the Niger Delta region and former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for denying the region of a well-deserved second tenure.

“Their action was due to impatience and misconstrued perceptions, especially since that same government took us from a weak economy to the No 1 economy in Africa and indeed around 2014 and early 2015, Nigeria was named the third fastest growing economy in the world by CNNMoney, with China and Qatar, taking the lead at 7.3 percent, 7.1 percent gross domestic product (GDP) growth,”

In the same vein the group commend the likes of Sule Lamido, Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, Senator Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi and a host of others who stood by the party and supported a candidate from the region and most importantly, for being steadfast and showing unflinching support for Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan throughout the trying times.

“Let it be on note that as of today the 6th of October 2018, we have no particular candidate in mind as we believe all the PDP aspirants have the pedigree to do far better than the current situation we are in, and we have no sentiments for anyone of these aspirants, nonetheless it is our belief that the party will employ every necessary resources to make sure that a rigorous selection process is put in place to ensure that the best candidate emerges.

“Every other aspirant will muster the tolerance and courage to rally their supporters around the product of this convention,” the group stated.

Update news