Protesters on Wednesday blocked the East-West Road from the Ughelli axis in Delta, demanding appointment of a Delta indigene as next Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The scores of protesters under the group, Niger Delta People’s Assembly stormed the busy highway as early as 7:00 am to commence their peaceful demonstration.

The peaceful protest resulted to heavy gridlock on both sides of the expressway

They called for justice and fair representations in the leadership of the commission.

The protesters were armed with placards bearing inscriptions like, “Abuse of the NDDC act is the catalyst of crisis in the Niger Delta region”, “President Tinubu act now to save the nation” and among others.

Addressing newsmen, Mr Charles Ejor, the Coordinator of the Niger Delta People’s Assembly
decried the marginalisation of Delta in the leadership of the interventionist agency.

Ejor said that despite the
state’s critical role in the oil sector and its significant contributions to the nation’s economy, Delta had been continually excluded from holding the position of the Managing Director in NDDC.

He said that the group had sometime written President Bola Tinubu to intervene and ensure the leadership of the commission was distributed fairly as outlined in the NDDC Act.

According to Ejor, Section 12, subsection 1(d) of the NDDC Act, says the Managing Director and Executive Directors should come from oil-producing areas, rotates among states in order of oil production.

“With the recent expiration of the tenure of Dr Samuel Ogbuku as Managing Director of NDDC, it is now the turn of a Delta indigene to assume the position.

“The exclusion of Delta from this critical leadership position is unjust and goes against the NDDC Act.

“Delta has contributed immensely to the nation’s growth, especially in the oil sector, and it is only fair that we are given our rightful place in the leadership of the NDDC,” Ejor said.

Also speaking, Mr Samuel Obada frowned at the continuous neglect of Delta in the leadership of the NDDC.

“We come out in a peaceful protest because we are bitter about the marginalisation of Delta in NDDC appointments,” he said.

The protesters, however, called on President Tinubu to urgently addressed the systemic marginalisation and guarantee Delta the rightful place in the NDDC leadership.