Ex-militants to Akpabio: Ondo must produce new NDDC MD

By Our Correspondent

Youths and Ex- Militants under the aegis of Coalition of Niger Delta Groups in Ondo state have described as injustice and executive lawlessness the non appointment of an indigene of the oil communities in the state as the Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

They said that records have shown that Akwa Ibom, Delta, Rivers and Bayelsa States have repeatedly produced the NDDC Managing Director in succession while Ondo state have been marginalised.

The coalition have therefore called on “President Mohammadu Buhari and Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio to adhere strictly to the Act that formed NDDC in constituting the next Managing Director of the Commission which is the constitutional right of Ondo State by the virtue of the Act that established NDDC in 2000.

According to them ” We are making 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.

“Mr President, we appeal to you to help us to stop this corruption, impunity and injustice against Ondo State for the sake of fairness, justice and equity.

The statement reads ” Coalition of Groups in the Niger Delta areas of Ondo State comprises Niger Delta Youth Movement (NDYM), Ex-militants and Youths of different associations, have come together to make this press release, calling and appealing to President Mohammadu Buhari and Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio to adhere strictly to the Act that formed Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in constituting the next Managing Director of the Commission which is the constitutional right of Ondo State by the virtue of the Act that established NDDC in 2000.

“We want to urge President Buhari to exercise fairness by appointing Ondo indigene the new MD of NDDC. It should be noted that the Managing Director of the board of NDDC is the turn of Ondo State while constituting the substantive board.

“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.

“This clear and unambiguous provision of the NDDC Act means that every member-state shall produce the Managing Director of the Commission in a rotational manner, following a sequential order that uses the quantum of oil production starting with the state with the highest production and you will agree with us that Ondo State is the fifth largest producers of oil after Akwa Ibom, Delta, Rivers and Bayelsa State had produced the NDDC Managing Director.

“Therefore, we want to strongly appeal to Hon. Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio to use his good office to inform President Buhari to adhere strictly to the Act and appoint the next NDDC Managing Director from Ondo State, being the fifth highest oil producing state as stipulated in the NDDC Act.

“We want to express our pain over 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 of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio before it causes a serious mayhem in the region.

“Records have shown that Akwa Ibom, Delta, Rivers and Bayelsa States respectively have repeatedly produced the NDDC Managing Director in succession, thereby giving room for the marginalization of Ondo State.

“Records have revealed that Delta State had 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 occupied 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.

“Rivers State had occupied 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.

“Bayelsa State had 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.

“Therefore, the continuous marginalisation of Ondo State in constituting the Managing Director, Director of Finance & Administration and that of Director of Project is alarming and clear manifestation of injustice and executive lawlessness that must be addressed by President Muhammadu Buhari and his Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio before it causes a serious problem in the oil-rich region.

“Our position and special appeal shall be communicated to President Buhari in an official letter which will be addressed to his office in Abuja and also copied office of the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Minister of State Niger Delta Affairs, Senate President,Speaker House of Representatives,Chairman Senate Committee on Niger Delta and Chairman house Committee on NDDC.

They added that ” a letter of protection on peaceful protest which will be staged in Abuja will be submitted to the office of the National Security Adviser to the President, Inspector General of Police, DSS and other relevant security apparatus.