By Akpos Oghenetega,
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State, Chief Barr. Ejiro Etaghene, has raised an alarm over alleged corruption and political favoritism in the ongoing Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) postgraduate scholarship selection process.
In a strongly worded protest letter addressed to Senator Ede Dafinone and Hon. Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, Chairman of the House Committee on NDDC, posted on his Facebook page, Chief Etaghene accused the Commission of sidelining qualified candidates in favour of unqualified beneficiaries with political connections.
He cited the case of Amos Isajini, a brilliant first-class law graduate from Agbon Kingdom, Kokori, who also excelled at the Nigerian Law School, but was inexplicably denied an interview slot after passing the NDDC scholarship exam. According to Etaghene, Senator Dafinone personally forwarded the young man’s name to the NDDC Managing Director, yet his name remains off the shortlist.
"This is not only a case of gross injustice but a slap on the face of meritocracy," Etaghene fumed. "You are giving scholarships to dullards and girlfriends while leaving out the brightest minds. Is this the Nigeria we want?"
The APC chieftain called on Hon. Ibori-Suenu to immediately intervene, warning that failure to address the anomaly could spark public outrage. He vowed to mobilise the Kokori people and the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) youth wing for a mass protest at the Oil Flow Station in Erhoike-Kokori if justice is not served.
"This disgraceful act must not go unchecked. We will make noise and we will be heard. NDDC must remember that transparency is the bedrock of governance," he stated emphatically.
