Ex militant leader, Asari Dokubo has reportedly given a demand from President Bola Tinubu.

Dokubo in his demand, stated that President Tinubu should disband the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), in return of the former Oil Minerals Producing Areas Development Commission, OMPADEC.

Dokubo stressed that the need to bring back OMPADEC is important as there are oil-producing communities outside the Niger Delta region.

Asari Dokubo wrote, “Mr. President, I am grateful and wish to commend your decision to reinstate the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs. This decision shows your determination, reflects your deep understanding of the challenges and unique needs of the Niger Delta region, and demonstrates your commitment to addressing them.

“Mr. President, I know you are aware that the Oil Mineral Producing Areas Development Commission, OMPADEC, was established to rehabilitate and develop the Oil Mineral Producing Areas of Nigeria which had been subjected to the devastating effects of ecological destruction and environmental pollution. This means that oil-producing areas that are not geographically in the Niger Delta, are captured in OMPADEC’s programmes.

“The change of nomenclature from OMPADEC to NDDC suggested that the commission was established to address the agitation of only oil-producing areas in the Niger-Delta states of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers.

“Mr. President, I beg you to consider returning NDDC to OMPADEC nomenclature, with its core mandate of addressing issues of rehabilitating and developing the oil-producing areas of Nigeria, including Abia, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Imo, Kogi, Rivers and any other area blessed with oil mineral.

“From the foregoing, it is clear that NDDC has no relation with the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs. Oil-producing areas should be treated on their merit, while the Niger Delta areas of Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, and Akwa Ibom states should be treated solely as Niger Delta from a geographic and scientific point of view.”