The Senate, on Tuesday, ratified the appointment of 15 nominees to the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, days after the Federal Government dissolved the current board of the NDDC, over allegations of corruption and setting up an interim committee in its’ place.
The senate confirmed them after Peter Nwoboshi, chairman of the NDDC committee, presented a report to the chamber.
While presenting his report on the floor of the upper legislative chamber, Nwoboshi said all the nominees are ”eminently qualified” to be on the board, claiming that the nominees were screened.
He expressed confidence in the ability of the nominees to live up to expectation, saying, “The qualifications of the nominees will impact the commission positively.’’
But he said Joy Yimebe Nunieh, a nominee from Rivers state and interim managing director, did not show up for the screening exercise.
The Federal Government had annulled the current board of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, while setting up an interim committee to manage the affairs of the commission.
The minister of the Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, who announced the dissolution said the committee will run the NDDC for six months and oversee the forensic audit of the agency.
It will be recalled that in August, governors of Niger Delta states rejected the NDDC board nominees appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Commenting on the development, Enyinnaya Abaribe, senate minority leader, said that since Nunieh did not appear for screening, her appointment should not be confirmed.
Also speaking, Ike Ekweremadu, a former deputy president of the senate, said an interim committee should have not been set up in the first place.
Thereafter, the nominations were confirmed by a voice vote.
The nominees are; Pius Odubu, chairman NDDC board; Bernard Okumagba, managing director; Otobong Ndem, executive director, projects; Maxwell Okoh, executive director, finance and administration; Jones Erue (Delta), Victor Ekhatar (Edo), Nwogu Nwogu (Abia), Theodore Allison (Bayelsa),Victor Antai (Akwa Ibom) and Maurice Effiwatt (Cross River).
Other nominees are Olugbenga Elema (Ondo), Uchegbu Kyrian (Imo), Aisha Muhammed (north-west representative), Ardo Zubairu (north-east representative) and Badmus Mutalib (north-central representative).