Former IYC Spokesperson Criticizes Governor Diri’s Comments on NDDC Management

A former spokesman of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Comrade Ebilade Ekerefe, has publicly criticized Governor Douye Diri for his recent remarks targeting the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). Ekerefe’s response comes after a video circulated in the media, where Governor Diri was seen expressing concerns over the NDDC’s approach to infrastructural projects in Bayelsa, suggesting a lack of coordination with the state government.

Governor Diri voiced his criticisms during a recent courtesy visit by the NDDC’s management team, led by Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, at the Government House in Yenagoa. The governor pointed to what he described as the Commission’s tendency to operate independently, potentially undermining the state’s development agenda. He stressed the need for synergy between the NDDC and the Bayelsa State Government to ensure unified efforts in infrastructural initiatives and other development programs.

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However, Ekerefe has dismissed Diri’s statements as unnecessarily critical. In a press release issued on Tuesday, Ekerefe acknowledged the NDDC’s outreach to the governor but argued that Diri’s response was overly harsh. He contended that instead of criticizing the Commission, the governor should address the grievances of Bayelsa youths who reportedly supported his re-election campaign but remain unemployed.

“The governor should focus on engaging the youth in the state who have shown him immense support, rather than alienating NDDC,” Ekerefe remarked, urging the administration to foster a more cooperative relationship with the Commission.

Ekerefe’s remarks have added fuel to the ongoing debate about the role of NDDC in state development efforts, spotlighting the tension between local and federal initiatives in Bayelsa.