President Muhammadu Buhar has submitted the name of former Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Obong Nsima Ekere, to the Senate for confirmation as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
Elombah.com also learnt that former Senate Majority Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma Egba, has been nominated by President Buhari as the Chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) board.
If confirmed, Mr. Ekere will replace Ibim Semenitari who is the present Acting Managing Director of the NDDC.
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A BELATED ACTION – Inibehe Effiong
The appointment of anyone from Akwa Ibom State for the position of the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) is only a belated compliance with the provisions of the NDDC (Establishment) Act.
The current occupant of that position, Mrs Ibim Semenitari, from Rivers State is illegally and unjustly enjoying the slot of Akwa Ibom State. She should not have been appointed in the first place because the NDDC Act makes the MD’s position rotational among the oil producing States.
When Mr Bassey Dan Abia was removed by President Buhari last year, the proper thing would have been for the President to appoint a replacement from Akwa Ibom to complete the slot and tenure statutorily allocated to the state.
Instead, the President, apparently on the prompting of Mr Rotimi Amaechi, for reasons best known to him decided to rob Peter to pay Paul. A clear injustice against Akwa Ibom State.
Therefore, it is wrong for anyone to seek to make political capital from the appointment of Mr Nsima Ekere to take over from Mrs Semenitari.
I have observed that some persons are trying to give the impression that this appointment shows that Buhari respects federal character. This is a misplaced argument. Only a person from the Niger Delta States can occupy the position.