FG Ignores Court Action, Directs NDDC Board Members To Resume Work Immediately

By Ayodele Oni

In a swift move to apparently avoid any halt by Court, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Obong Umana Okon Umana, has performed the inauguration of the Governing Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The board, led by Lauretta Onochie, former aide of President Mohammadu Buhari, has been directed to  begin work immediately.

The inauguration, on Wednesday followed a letter emanating from the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, signed by Permanent Secretary, Adebiyi Olufunso, that the event would hold.

The Senate had on December 20, 2022 confirmed Lauretta Onochie as Chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) along with 12 others, after President Muhammadu Buhari had transmitted a letter containing their names in accordance with the NDDC (Establishment) Act, 2008.

The permanent secretary, in the letter, dated December 29, 2022, said: “Following recent confirmation and clearance of the newly constituted board of NDDC by the Senate, the President has further granted approval for the inauguration of the board to commence work immediately.”

The acting Managing Director of the NDDC, Emmanuel Audu-Ohwavborua, had earlier held a valedictory meeting with the management staff to prepare for the handing over to a new management.

Performing the inauguration ceremony in Abuja, the Minister stated at the ceremony that “I appreciate His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari for fulfilling the law by keeping his promise of approving the Board of NDDC in line with section 2 subsection 1 of the NDDC Act 2000.

“Today, we are witnessing the inauguration of the board in fulfillment of Mr. President’s promise that he will put in place a genuine board for the commission after the completion of the forensic audit,”

President Buhari’s Special Assistant on Social Media, Lauretta Onochie, from Delta State representing the South South Geopolitical Zone, was inaugurated to now mount her seat as Chairman of the Board of NDDC, while Major-General Charles Airhiavbere (Rtd) from Edo State was inaugurated as the Executive Director, Finance, and Charles Ogunmola from Ondo State, as Executive Director, Projects.

Others inaugurated on Wednesday were Dimgba Erugba, representing Abia State; Emem Willcox Wills, from Akwa Ibom State; Denyanbofa Dimaro, from Bayelsa State; Orok Duke, Cross River State; Pius Odudu, from Edo State, Anthony Ekenne, from Imo State; Gbenga Edema, from Ondo State; Elekwachi Dimkpa, from Rivers State; Mohammed Kabir Abubakar, from Nasarawa State, representing North Cenral Geopolitical Zone; Sadiq Sami Sule-Ikoh, from Kebbi State, representing the North West; and Prof. Tahir Mamman (SAN), from Adamawa State, representing the North East Geopolitical Zone on the Board of the NDDC.

Some Itsekiri leaders from Delta state and stakeholders from coastal area of Ondo state have approached the court to stop the president from inaugurating the board of the commission.

Itsekiris grouse is that as the major oil producer in the country, the position of managing director of NDDC belongs to them, while Ondo state is protesting that the nominee for the position of executive director, projects is not from oil producing area of the state.