The leader, Pan-Niger Delta Forum and Middle Belt Forum (PANDEF), Chief Edwin Clark has rejected speculation suggesting that President Muhammadu Buhari might appoint another interim administrator to oversee the affairs of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
The elder statesman warned the president to resist every attempt to appoint an interim administrator, saying it is an aberration. According to him, the people of the Niger Delta have been patient and understanding enough, hence they deserve the immediate inauguration of a substantive board as cleared and confirmed by the Senate.
Those cleared and confirmed are; Former Edo Deputy Governor, Dr. Pius Odubu, (Chairman of the Board), Bernard Okumagba (Managing Director), Executive Director Projects, Engr. Otobong Ndem (Akwa Ibom) and the Executive Director Finance and Administration, Maxwell Okoh from Bayelsa State.
Others are Delta State representative, Prophet Jones Erue; Chief Victor Ekhator (Edo) and Nwogu Nwogu (Abia), Theodore Allison, representing Bayelsa State, Victor Antai (Akwa Ibom); Maurice Effiwatt (Cross River); Olugbenga Elema (Ondo) and Hon. Uchegbu Chidiebere Kyrian (Imo).
Also confirmed are the Northeast representative, Ardo Zubairu from Adamawa state, Ambassador Abdullahi Bage from Nasarawa State to represent the North Central zone as well as Aisha Murtala Muhammed, from Kano State, to represent the Northwest Zone.
Clark, while calling on Buhari to as a matter of urgency inaugurate the NDDC Board in line with the law establishing it, lamented that contracts awards by the commission are being determined by notes from the Presidential Villa, Abuja and federal government agencies, noted that the law establishing the commission has been bastardized.
He made the call when he played host to the Delta Central APC Leaders of Thought, DECALT, led by its National Leader, Chief Ominimini Obiuwevbi.
In his words: “When the Forensic Audit Report was submitted to President Muhammadu Buhari on September 2nd, 2021, he promised to set up a substantive Board. About 10 (ten) months after, no Board is constituted. This is affecting the duties of the Commission, and the people of the Niger Delta region, because there is a limit to the things an Interim Administration can do.
“The yearning of the people of the Niger Delta region is for the Federal Government to constitute a substantive Board. Any other agitation, especially from some greedy and self-centred persons, for Mr. President to appoint another Interim Administrator will be resisted. Because there are rumours of some persons making moves for the appointment of another Interim Administrator for the NDDC.
“If this is true, it will mean that it will be the fourth time an Interim Administrator will be appointed, in total neglect of the Act setting up the Commission. This is an aberration. The people of the Niger Delta have been patient and understanding enough.
“As Mr. President ends his tenure, we plead and wish that the cordial relationship which has been established out of very deliberate and concerted efforts, should not be truncated. We plead with him not to listen to the selfish demands of few individuals who want to continue to despoil and milk dry the Niger Delta region.
“My simple message to His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, is for him to constitute, without delay, a substantive Board for the NDDC, in line with the Act setting up the Commission.
“I also wish to add here that, now that the Forensic Audit is completed, and the White Paper out, the Report should be made public to enable Nigerians know those who are culpable. The people of the Niger Delta have benefited little or nothing from a body that is set up to develop the region, because of outside influence, whereby award of contracts and making of payments are directed by notes from the Villa and from federal government agencies.
“I speak here with authority because I was one of the few persons who assisted former President Olusegun Obasanjo, to produce the Bill, to set up the Commission. I still have a letter I wrote to the former President in 2002, when he failed to implement the Act passed by the National Assembly (NASS), when he refused to consent to it.
“The law setting up the Commission has today, been bastardised and thrown into the dust bin. Politicians have used the monies illegally collected from the NDDC, including the Chairmen of the NASS Committees on the Niger Delta, yet the same people have turned round to blame leaders of the Niger Delta for embezzling the resources of the Commission.
“We have taken a decision that unlike in the past when we stood aloof and allowed people from outside the Niger Delta to plunder the resources meant to develop the region, we will no longer allow such to happen, not even from people from the ‘Presidency’.
“I repeat, we will take our destiny into our hands because we will no longer allow politicians and their cohorts to squander the resources of the Niger Delta. Enough is enough!.”
