Niger Delta Group Accuses Leaders of Selfish Motives in Calls to Boycott Protests

The Niger Delta Volunteers For Good Governance (NDVFGG), a civil society organization, has declared that the planned protest against hardship in Nigeria will take place in the Niger Delta region.

Ben Bowei, also known as Lord Major 1 of the Niger Delta and president of NDVFGG, made this announcement during a discussion with journalists, as reported by NIGERIA NEWS 247. Bowei’s statement comes in response to calls from various stakeholders in the region to cancel the protest, particularly in the Niger Delta.

Bowei argued that those opposing the protest are acting out of self-interest. He said, “As someone who has been involved in the Niger Delta struggle for years and a proponent of good governance, I am mobilizing over 2,000 members across the region to occupy major streets, including the East-West Road, during the protest.”

As a former national treasurer of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Bowei expressed disappointment at individuals prioritizing their interests over the suffering of the region. He questioned, “How can we say that the people of the Niger Delta, especially the youth, should not join the protest against hardship when hunger is evident everywhere? It’s not possible.

Those making these calls are doing so for selfish reasons, some even accepting money to speak against the protest. We at NDVFGG have already mobilized our members to take to the streets in the region. We cannot continue like this. We are advocating for the betterment of our people and must demand good governance.”

The Ijaw chief from the Furupagha clan also criticized the interventionist agencies established to improve the well-being of the Niger Delta people, accusing them of failing the region. He described this failure as part of the broader problem of bad governance and stated that they would also target these agencies during the protests to demand an end to alleged mismanagement.

“Interventionist agencies like the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) have failed us miserably. This is part of the bad governance we are protesting against. We will not tolerate this with the NDDC in the coming days of the protest,” he added.