By Charles Pemu 
Warri, Delta State — A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and respected Warri Kingdom leader, Chief Mike Odeli, has expressed strong disapproval over the exclusion of the Itsekiri ethnic group from the newly constituted South-South Development Commission (SSDC) board.
In a statement issued on Sunday, May 11, Chief Odeli described the omission as a deliberate marginalisation of a people who remain central to Nigeria’s oil wealth. He called on President Bola Tinubu to reverse the appointments and nominate a qualified Itsekiri representative for Delta State.
“The Itsekiri are the largest oil-producing group in Delta State and one of the most resource-contributing ethnic nationalities in the South-South,” Odeli stated. “Yet, we continue to be sidelined in key federal development agencies.”
He criticised the federal government’s decision to locate the SSDC headquarters in Uyo, Akwa Ibom, and to appoint Chibudom Nwuche (Rivers State) as Chairman and Usoro Akpabio (Akwa Ibom) as Managing Director. Also appointed from Delta State were Timi Ayibatonye (Ijaw) and Charles Enukhowhate (Urhobo), further deepening what he described as Itsekiri exclusion from national development platforms.
Chief Odeli pointed out that other federal appointments from Delta—including those in NIMASA, NDDC, NEXIM Bank, the Ministry of Aviation, and leadership roles in both state and federal legislatures—have overwhelmingly favoured other ethnic groups.
“This is not just an oversight—it’s a clear imbalance. It is morally and politically unjustifiable,” he said. “It is time the federal government honours equity and includes the Itsekiri in decisions that directly affect their resources and communities.”
He warned that failure to correct the exclusion could undermine the commission’s credibility and violate its founding mission—to drive inclusive development and stability in the oil-producing South-South region.
“You cannot claim to build peace and progress while silencing a major contributor to the nation’s economy,” he concluded.