Niger Delta govs reject appointment of NDDC board nominees

Governors of Niger Delta states have rejected the board nominees of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The nine states under the Niger Delta include Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta, Edo, Abia, Imo, and Ondo.

On Tuesday, Buhari appointed 15 board members of the commission, with Pius Odubu, a former deputy governor of Edo state, as its chairman.

In a meeting in Abuja, on Thursday, the governors expressed concerns over the appointment, saying the process does not reflect effecting governance mechanism.

Seriake Dickson, governor of Bayelsa state, said the governors would meet with Buhari to address their concerns.

“We will meet with President Muhammadu Buhari to discuss the issues,” he said.

He said the concerns arose from protests by stakeholders across the nine member states of the NDDC.

Dickson called on stakeholders in the Niger Delta states to remain calm, as he assured them that their concerns will be addressed.

Also present at the meeting were Rotimi Akeredolu, governor of Ondo; Godwin Obaseki, governor of Edo; Udom Emmanuel, governor of Akwa Ibom; and representatives of two other states.

Also, the Niger Delta Entrepreneurs Forum (NDEF) has faulted the dissolution of the Nelson Brambaifa-led board of NDDC.

The group alleged that the development was not in tandem with the NDDC Act, of which section 4 addresses the rotation of the chairmanship position.