Niger Delta reps ask humanitarian minister to resign, say flood data ‘insulting’

The Niger Delta caucus in the house of representatives has called for the resignation of Sadiya Umar Farouq, minister of humanitarian affairs.

The lawmakers made the demand during a media briefing on Monday in Abuja.

The legislators said President Muhammadu Buhari should sack Farouq if she refuses to resign from her position.

On November 3, the minister said Jigawa is the most affected state by the flood disaster that ravaged parts of Nigeria.

Speaking on behalf of his colleagues on Monday, Frederick Agbedi, a lawmaker representing Sagbama Ekeremor constituency, said the minister is wrong

According to Agbedi, reports from the flood management committee and traditional rulers indicate that thousands were wounded and hundreds of residents died in Bayelsa. 

“Surprisingly, she put the number of persons injured in Bayelsa state at 81 and the number of deaths at 91,” Agbedi said. 

“We call on the minister of humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development to honourably resign her appointment as a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, failing which Mr President should relieve her of her appointment immediately.

“We the Niger Delta members of the house of representatives, strongly and unequivocally condemn in strong terms, the statement credited to the honourable minister as insensitive, unpatriotic and nationalistic. While we are not denying the fact that other states in the federation are also affected, the comparison and figures given by the honourable minister show a glaring attempt to downplay the harsh reality on ground,” he said.

He explained that the comment of the minister is at variance with the report of the UN resident and humanitarian coordinator in Nigeria, who declared Bayelsa a disaster zone.

“The figures are not only an insult to the good people of Bayelsa state but to all the victims of the flood who has gone through the trauma of braving the elements by sleeping outside on dugout canoes, rooftops and floodwater floors.

“The honourable minister instead of visiting the affected areas to get firsthand information and empathise with the victims, is relying on some armchair statistician from far away Abuja to paint a fake picture to Nigerians. It is unfortunate that a state like Bayelsa which contributes massively to the economy of the nation is abandoned in its time of need,” the lawmaker said.

Edwin Clark, leader of the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), had earlier said that the humanitarian affairs minister was inhumane towards victims of the flood in Bayelsa and other areas in the southern region.

PANDEF said the parameters used by the minister to arrive at her conclusions in the ranking are “morbid and ridiculous”.