The Urhobo Progressive and Development Union (UPDU) has blasted the Ebira Traditional Council in Kogi State for seeking to stop the probe of Ajaokuta Steel Company.
The group described the move by the traditional rulers heading the council as “shameful act,” and noted their support for Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (Kogi Central).
Recall Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan had moved a motion to investigate alleged corruption and inefficiency at the Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited (ASL) and the National Iron Ore Mining Company (NIOMCO) located in Kogi, respectively.
Her motion was met with a petition from the traditional rulers, signed and addressed to thr Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
The monarchs accused the lawmaker of acting in isolation and without the input of critical stakeholders in the Senatorial district, stating that her motion was an “unwarranted public outcry.”
The leader of the Urhobo group, Comrade Ogheneruno Oghenetega, in a statement, labeled the petition as shameful, saying that Northern leaders are always desperate to probe oil companies in the South East, but they don’t want to probe Ajaokuta Steel.
“It is shameful that the Northern region is trying to protect corruption. This is not acceptable here, and the Northern region should take a cue from the South-South region that always cooperates with the National Assembly members, EFCC, ICPC, and anti-corruption bodies on any assignments for national interest.
Oghenetega said: “The Northern leaders, who are desperate to probe oil companies and organisations like the Niger Delta Development Commission, are now calling the same government not to probe the only company they have in Northern Nigeria, Ajaokuta Steel Company.”
The group also advised the traditional rulers not to protect corrupt aristocrats in their midst, as the job of rebuilding Nigeria can’t solely depend on the oil from the Niger Delta alone, but their contribution will help.
“Ajaokuta Steel Company was built with the money from oil in the Niger-Delta, hence knowing what happened there and what is happening there means a lot to Niger Deltans and Nigerians at large.”
