A coalition of Niger Delta youths, the Coalition of Niger Delta Elites Youths, has protested the nomination of Chiedu Ibie as chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission.

In a statement issued in Ughelli, Delta State, the CNDEY president, Tega Benson, media director, Williams Aminugo, and secretary general, Igho Umukoro, said that the group rejects Ibie’s nomination because he is “not abreast with the suffering of youths of the region.”

The group also alleged that Ibie is not from an oil-producing community, as required by the act establishing the NDDC. The CNDEY also noted that the senators representing Delta South and Delta Central, as well as other lawmakers from the state, were not consulted on Ibie’s nomination.

The CNDEY called on President Bola Tinubu to reverse Ibie’s nomination and nominate another person from the region for the position. The group threatened to mobilize for protests at the National Assembly if their demand is not met.