Exercise Fairness By Appointing Ondo Indigene New MD Of NDDC, Ondo South Senator Urges Buhari

The Senator representing Ondo South at the Senate, Nicholas Tofowomo, has appealed to  President Muhammadu Buhari to obey the law that established the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) by appointing an indigene of the oil-producing areas from Ondo State as the new MD of NDDC following the President’s consideration to reconstitute the board governing the Commission.

The Lawmaker who is the Senator representing the Niger Delta Region of Ondo State in Ondo South Senatorial District said on Sunday through a statement made available to Newsmen by his Media Aide, Pst Olumide Akinrinlola, that the President should obey the Act that established the Commission in the reconstitution of the NDDC’s board, adding, however, that it would only be fair if an Ondo Man from the oil region is appointed the new Managing Director of the Commission in line with the law.

Tofowomo in his words described the continuous marginalisation of the oil communities in Ondo State in the composition of the NDDC’s board as executive lawlessness and injustice that must be addressed by President Muhammadu Buhari and his Minister for Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio before it causes a serious problem in the oil-rich region.

The Senator said, “Section 12(1) of the NDDC Act states, there shall be for the Commission, a Managing Director and two Executive Directors who shall be indigenes of oil-producing areas starting with the member-state with the highest production quantum of oil and shall rotate amongst member-states in order of production”.

“Following the history of rotation in the nomination of persons for appointments into the Management Board of the NDDC – the Managing Director and the two Executive positions amongst member states in order of production as stated by the NDDC Act, Ondo State is the next State to produce the next MD being the fifth largest producers of oil in the region because Akwa Ibom, Delta, Rivers and Bayelsa States respectively have repeatedly produced the NDDC Managing Director in succession, thereby giving room for the marginalization of my people.”

“My findings have revealed that Delta State occupied the position of MD four times and the positions of the Executive Director of Finance with that of Executive Director of Project three times.”

“Akwa Ibom State had the position of Managing Director (MD) three times, and still had the position of the Executive Director of Finance with that of Executive Director of Project Four times, while Rivers State had the position of the Managing Director (MD) three times and had the positions of the Executive Director of Finance with that of Executive Director of Project Four times. 

“Similarly, Bayelsa State has occupied the position of the Managing Director (MD) of NDDC four times and the positions of the Executive Director Finance and that of Executive Director Project five times.”

“This continuous marginalisation of the oil communities in Ondo State under Ondo South Senatorial District as regard the composition of the NDDC’s board is a clear injustice and executive lawlessness that must be addressed by President Muhammadu Buhari and his Minister for Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio before it causes a serious problem in the oil-rich region.”

“I make a special appeal to President Muhammadu  Buhari to exercise fairness and sincerity by considering an Ondo State indigene from the oil communities in his plan for fresh nominations into the Management Board of the NDDC – the Managing Director and the two Executive positions.”

“It’s on record that Ondo South has never benefited adequately from NDDC facilities of modern development especially in the areas of employment and infrastructure despite being the only Senatorial District in Ondo State that has crude oil and the only reason Ondo State is included as part of the Niger Delta States in Nigeria.”

“Mr President, I appeal to you, help us to stop this corruption, impunity and injustice against my people for the sake of fairness, justice and equity”, the Senator added.