A group, the Niger Delta Youth Coalition has said the continuation of tenure of Dr Samuel Ogbuku as Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer(MD/CEO), of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), is the surest way in fast tracking both human capital and infrastructural development across the region.To this end, the coalition in a letter written and addressed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has described as demeaning and ridiculous a recent calls purportedly made by some people from Delta state on the takeover of the MD’s position as unnecessary.
The coalition in a letter signed by its3 founder/National Coordinator, Prince Emmanuel Ogba to the presidency said: “We’ve with due sense of humility, fairness and concern bring to your attention calls by some people from Delta State asking for the takeover of the position of MD/CEO, NDDC, arguing that it’s the turn of their state to produce MD based on the rotation of the position as stipulated in the act establishing the Commission.
“This issue that was recently brought to the public glare, has caused us to write this open letter for you not to heed to such demands based on the need to extrapolate on why Chief (Dr.) Samuel Ogbuku, the incumbent MD/CEO be allowed to complete his tenure”.
The Coalition further stated that during former President Obasanjo’s reign, the latter nominated and renominated some members of the NDDC Board, saying the ex-president’s gesture was in tandem with the powers vested on him by the enabling sections 2(1), 4, 10 and 12 of the NDDC Act 2000.
“It was a welcome development for the oil rich region when Obasanjo made those appointments and reappointments into the Commission. The Act establishing the NDDC has clearly stipulated that Chairman of the Board be picked from amongst the nine NDDC member states, while rotating alphabetically, and not necessarily from concerned states with the highest oil production. And this was the reason why Chief Emmanuel Aguriagvodo from Delta State was renominated as MD/CEO of the Commission during the its early days even though he served only for a short period.
“There’s no arguing that the Act establishing the NDDC on June 5th, 2000 stipulates that the position of MD/CEO should be rotated amongst the nine Niger Delta States beginning with the highest oil producing state and this has been followed.
“But what should be considered in the present situation is that this is the first time Bayelsa State is having an incumbent occupying the position of MD/CEO as others from the State have served either in acting capacity or didn’t complete their four year tenure as establish by the Act.
“Another consideration is the fact that as stated earlier, the incumbent MD/CEO, Chief(Dr) Samuel Ogbuku has not only served one year, but has so far performed very well”, the Coalition said.
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