Presidency Dissolves Newly Inaugurated NDDC Board

There are strong indications that the Presidency may have dissolved the newly inaugurated board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

An impeccable source close to the Presidency hinted this medium that the board was dissolved owing to its lack of spread as the interest of a certain stalwart of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and a serving minister was not accommodated as presently constituted.

The serving minister, who was a governor in a oil rich state in the South-South for eight years and was said to have cried out to the presidency on the development.

The source further disclosed that the presidency will soon appoint sole administrators that will run the affairs of the board for the next three years.

It was gathered that since his point man in the NDDC, Festus Keyamo (SAN) has been reployed from being minister of state and member of the NDDC Board to the ministry of Labour where he maintained same designation, the minister, who is considered as a major financier of the party has no representation in the board.

Presently, Niger Delta minister, Godswill Akpabio; APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole; Petroleum minister (State), Timipre Sylva; Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, among others, are said to be among those that enjoyed patronage in the dissolved board.

It will be recalled that, the dissolved 16-man board chaired by Dr. Pius Odubu (former Edo State deputy governor) was approved in August by President Muhammadu Buhari.

A statement signed then by the Permanent Secretary (General Services Office), office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Olusegun Adekunle, on behalf of the SGF, however, said that the appointment was subject to the confirmation of the Senate.

The statement said, “President Muhammadu Buhari has, subject to Senate confirmation, approved the composition of the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission.

“The interim management headed by Prof. Nelson Brambaifa has been directed to hand over to the most senior director in the Commission.

“The chairman and members of the newly composed Governing Board are, by this release, invited to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation on Monday, September 2, 2019 for proper documentation and briefing.

“They are to come along with their updated CVs and valid identification.”

Among the new board members were Bernard Okumagba from Delta State, who was to serve as Managing Director; and Otobong Ndem from Akwa Ibom, who was appointed as the Executive Director, Projects.

Others were Maxwell Okoh from Bayelsa State; Jones Erue from Delta State; Victor Ekhatar from Edo State; Joy Nunieh from Rivers State; Nwogu Nwogu from Abia State; Theodore Allison from Bayelsa State; Victor Antai from Akwa Ibom State; Maurice Effiwatt from Cross River State; Olugbenga Elema from Ondo State; Uchegbu Kyrian from Imo State; and Aisha Muhammed from Kano State representing North-West area on the board.

From Adamawa State, President Buhari appointed Ardo Zubairu to represent the North-East; while Badmus Mutalib was appointed from Lagos State to represent the South-West region on the NDDC board.

It was however gathered that misunderstanding and partisanship among the members of the board now dissolved may have also contributed to the step taken by the presidency.