Notable ex-militant leader and Mayor of Urhoboland, Eshanekpe Israel, also known as Akpodoro, has responded to statements by the leader of the defunct Niger Delta Volunteer Force (NDVF), Alhaji Asari Dokubo, who recently expressed opposition to President Bola Tinubu’s potential re-election bid in 2027. Akpodoro, speaking over the weekend in Abuja, emphasized that Dokubo, like any Nigerian citizen, is free to support any candidate of his choosing.
According to Vanguard Newspaper, in an interview with journalists at a roundtable conference organized by the Coalition for President Tinubu’s re-election in 2027, Akpodoro acknowledged Dokubo as a respected figure but asserted that the agitator should speak for himself and not for the entire Niger Delta region. According to Akpodoro, the majority of the Niger Delta people stand firmly with Chief Government Ekpemukpolo, also known as Tompolo, who commands widespread respect in the region.
Akpodoro lauded the current administration for the socio-economic development and progress witnessed across the Niger Delta, contrasting it with the widespread poverty and despair experienced under previous governments.
He noted that assessing the government’s performance based on the desires of a single individual is unfair, emphasizing that the well-being of the region’s people, particularly in terms of human empowerment and growth, should serve as the benchmark for evaluating governance.
“President Tinubu’s government emerged from the collective efforts of the Nigerian people, including the Niger Delta, who overwhelmingly supported him at the polls—not from the endorsement of any single individual,” Akpodoro said.
The Urhobo leader went on to express confidence that the people of the Niger Delta would once again rally behind President Tinubu in 2027, even more than they did in 2023, to ensure he completes his “national reformative assignment.”
Akpodoro concluded by praising Tinubu’s administration for its commitment to equity and fairness across all regions of Nigeria, emphasizing the government’s focus on building a balanced political system. He criticized those who expect special treatment at the expense of national development, stating, “It is mischievous for anyone to expect President Tinubu to patronize them at the detriment of the nation’s growth and development.”