…Statement Released By Adesina ‘Vague and Conflicting’
- Calls for Inauguration of Senate’s Approved Board
The recent directive given by President Muhammadu Buhari, approving the recomposition of the management board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) already approved by the Nigerian Senate has been described as an attempt to undermine the legislative arm of government.
According to Vanguard for Transparent Leadership and Democracy (VATLAD), through the action, President Buhari is “deliberately undermining and disregarding the decision of the Senate,” which had since screened and approved the nominees to the board in line with the constitution.
The New Diplomat had last week reported that the President, rather than inaugurate the approved board by the Senate as many had thought, directed that a new board be recomposed, leaving the fate of the approved board members in limbo.
He also directed that the Interim Management Committee (IMC) set up by the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio should continue to oversee the Commission till the forensic audit launched into its past operations is completed. However, the setting-up of the IMC has been described by many groups as an act of illegality over its failure to derive any legal backing from the NDDC Act.
The terse statement released by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Mr. Femi Adesina last Thursday stated that: “President Muhammadu Buhari has approved that the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission be recomposed and inaugurated after the forensic audit of the organisation.
“The President has also directed that the Interim Management Team of the NDDC shall be in place till the forensic is completed, and that the supervision of the commission shall remain under the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.”
Meanwhile, in a statement sent to The New Diplomat by VATLAD National President, Igbini Odafe Emmanuel, the group termed the entire statement as released by Adesina as a “vague statement that gives room for various conflicting interpretations by Nigerians capable of creating more crises in the Oil Producing Communities of Nigeria.”
The group worries that certain interest groups are attempting to mislead the President and cause more confusion on the appointment to the NDDC board, noting that no reason was given for the directive, approving the recomposition of a new board.
“We woke up to the rude shock of a Press Statement issued by Mr Femi Adesina to the effect that President Buhari has decided to recompose the Board of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) that was carefully nominated by President Buhari and only recently duly screened and confirmed by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in line with section 2(2a) of the NDDC Act, 2000, as amended.
“Having carefully read and analysed the Statement we are further shocked that on a serious matter such as this which tends to portray President Buhari as deliberately undermining and disregarding the decision of the Senate, Mr Adesina did not deem it very important to explain the reason President Buhari allegedly took this decision.
“This is very sad, highly regrettable and strongly condemned particularly given the fact that disregarding and undermining any decision constitutionally taken by the Senate of Nigeria amounts to Gross Misconduct and a Constitutional ground for impeachment of a Nigerian President as stipulated by section 143 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, as amended.
“This vague statement that gives room for various conflicting interpretations by Nigerians capable of creating more crises in the Oil Producing Communities of Nigeria particularly in the major oil producing States of the South-South Region ought not to be issued few hours after President Trump was impeached for US House of Representatives simply for disregarding the Laws of US (abuse of office) and obstruction to the Constitutional duties of US Congress.
“This Statement by Mr Adesina is clearly aimed at misleading and misdirecting President Buhari to causing more problems than he intends to solve. As it stands now, Nigerians don’t know exactly the reason for this reported decision by President Buhari, if indeed he did. We are very careful not to engage in speculations but if it is based on the argument that Delta and Edo States ought not to produce Chairman and Managing Director of NDDC, then they got it all wrong.
“Moreover, it will cause Nigerians to question among others, the justification of the recent appointments of no fewer than ten Commissioners of Police from North West Zone and four from Katsina State while other States have none.
“For decades now, we know President Buhari as a patriotic Nigerian leader committed to ensuring Peace, Equity, Justice and proportional development of the Oil Producing States of Nigeria.
“As a Minister of Petroleum Resources he was so resolute on Nigerianisation of the rich Oil Sector of Nigeria to protect Nigerians and empower them and the Oil Producing Communities to benefit more from our Oil Resources.
“As a Military Head of State, he carefully appointed an incorruptible and very patriotic son of the Niger Delta (late Prof. Tam David-West) as Minister for Petroleum Resources. During his tenure, the Niger Delta Region witnessed economic and social economic progress and prosperity unlike the sad situation we find ourselves today.”
The group while backing the President’s decision to carry out a forensic audit of NDDC’s past spendings, urged him to be weary of being misled by some unpatriotic Nigerians whose aim is to continue to loot the federal funds meant for special intervention programmes in the Niger Delta.
It also called on Buhari to inaugurate the board nominees already approved by the Senate so as to end the leadership crisis rocking the NDDC and its board’s appointments.
“We have no doubt that his decision to direct a holistic forensic auditing of the NDDC is also in line with his commitment to Peace, Progress and Development of the Niger Delta Region. We are therefore not surprised that the same unpatriotic politicians and Nigerians who looted OMPADEC, NDDC and Ministry of Niger Delta Region are determined to obstruct President Buhari by embarking on misleading him in this matter.
“We therefore submit that President Buhari should simply inaugurate the Board already confirmed by the Senate and ensure strict monitoring of their activities and management of funds released to it.
“May we state for the record that the NDDC Act never allowed any appointments to management of the Commission without the screening and confirmation of the Senate. We wish to remind Nigerians that this is the point the Senate and House of Representatives under the leadership of Senator Okadigbo and Ghali Na Abba held so strongly to that led to their decision to override the President Buhari who wanted a situation where appointments of persons to head the NDDC do not need the approval of the Senate. This fact also settles the illegality of any Interim Management for NDDC.
“We are therefore strongly advise that President Buhari ignores this Statement and such advice and to proceed to inaugurate the Board confirmed by the Senate. The excuse to allow for completion of forensic auditing before Board is inaugurated is baseless and only meant to mislead him,” the group said.
