Buhari names Onochie NDDC Chairman and 14 other board members

On Wednesday, President Muhammadu Buhari urged the Senate to confirm his Special Adviser on Social Media, Lauretta Ifeanyi Onochie, as the substantive Chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission’s Board of Directors (NDDC).

Senate President Ahmad Lawan read Buhari’s letter containing the request during plenary.

The President also nominated Chief Dr. Samuel Ibukun as Managing Director for a two-year term to complete the term of his predecessor (Bayelsa State, South-South).

The NDDC board nominees are listed in the letter as follows: Chief Dr. Samuel Ibukun as Managing Director; Dimgba Erugba State Representative (Abia, South-East); Dr. Ene Willcox Wills (Akwa Ibom, State Representative, South-South); and former Deputy Edo Governor Dr. Pius Odudu (Edo) (Imo, South-East),

Mr. Onyekachi Dimkpa (Rivers, South-South), Alhaji Mohammed Kabiru Abubakar (Zonal Representative, Nasarawa), Professor Tallen Mamman, SAN (North-East Representative, Adamawa), Alhaji Sadiq Sami Sule (Kebbi State, North-West, Zonal Representative), and Maj. Gen. Charles Ehigie Airhiavbere (Rtd) (Executive Director) are (Executive Director Project, South-West).

“In accordance with the provisions of Section 2(2)A of the NDDC Act, Cap N86, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, I hereby present the underlisted 15 names of nominees as Chairman and members of the NDDC for confirmation by the Senate,” the statement titled “Confirmation of appointments of Chairman and members of the Niger Delta Development Commission” reads in part:

Soon after the list was read, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, APC-Delta Central, objected that Delta State was not represented on the proposed board, despite the fact that the NDDC Act requires each state to have a representative.

He urged the Executive to address the issue.

Lawan, on the other hand, promised to take up the issue and ensure that due process was followed by strictly adhering to the Act establishing the NDDC so that the screening would not be delayed.

Senator George Sekibo (PDP – Rivers East) drew the Senate’s attention to the fact that the Chamber had screened and confirmed President Buhari’s nominees for the NDDC board in 2019, and questioned why the double work, which is contrary to Senate Standing Orders.

The Senate President explained in his response that the former list could not pass due to the NDDC’s crisis at the time.