Concerned Niger Delta Youth Forum (CNYF) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Simbi Kesiye Wabote, over alleged perjury and corruption.
The group urged Wabote to step aside for a thorough investigation of allegations of corruption against him within 14 days.
The youths in a statement made available to journalists on Friday by its national leader, Comrade John Ebitari, and secretary, Comrade Oweikeme Preye, noted that its position “is in the interest of justice and in line with President Muhammadu Buhari administration’s avowed stance on war against corruption.”
According to them, “perjury is of serious concern” and should be taken seriously.
They further stated that “Mr. Wabote is bringing shame and disgrace to the Niger Delta region.
“As Niger Delta youths we haven’t seen any tangible youth engagement programmes and activities that NCDMB or Simbi Wabote has brought to the region.
“As a public public office holder we expected Simbi Wabote to be transparent in his affairs.”
They also commended political activist, Comrade Timi Frank, for always standing for truth as a patriotic son of the soil.
“As a group, we have never met or had any contact with Jackson Ude or Timi Frank, but we have been following the alleged corruption cases against Mr. Simbi Wabote both here in Nigeria and U.S.A.
“At this point, we decided to make our stand clear by calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately sack Mr. Simbi Wabote to enable him face his ongoing corruption cases,” they said.
Comrade Ebitari advised youths from the region not to be used by selfish people that are always gaining favour by sabotaging the region and the economy of the nation.
“Also remember that they will only use you when it is time for war then forget you and favour their corrupt cronies when it is time for benefits,” he added.
They further called on the leadership of Ijaw Youth Congress (IYC), especially the President, Igbifa, to steer clear from the activities of NCDMB.
“As ijaw youths, we are totally disappointed with the current IYC leadership which has been bought over by Akpabio and his cronies in Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
“The NDDC has been pocketed by few individuals in the Niger Delta region and beyond with interim administrations.
“Taking over the leadership of IYC as Ijaw youths, we thought that for once, the Ijaw Nation has gotten it right but the reverse is the case,” they said.
They added: “To ensure that he does not continue to obstruct the course of justice both in Nigeria and the United States, we call for his immediate suspension or he should voluntarily step aside for proper investigation into corruption allegations against him and to stop further siphoning of the nation’s scarce resources for legal fees abroad.
“We therefore call on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and the National Assembly to immediately institute open probe of the core allegations against him as contained in a petition directed to the Code of Conduct Bureau.
“If he fails to resign within 14 days, we shall be left with no choice but to take legal actions against him, including mobilising the civil society community to occupy the National Assembly and relevant anti-corruption institutions until the the needful is done.”
