Buhari Forwards List of Nominees into NDDC Board, Supreme Court to Senate for Approval

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Thursday, July 21st, 2016

Ayodele Afolabi, Abuja

Senate on Thursday received from the President Mohammadu Buhari the list of nominees into the management board of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) as well as two nominees as justices of the Supreme Court.

The nomination of membership of the NDDC board came a week after a group of concerned elders in the Niger Delta under the aegis of “Niger Delta Leaders of Thoughts” in an open letter advised the president to urgently consider constituting the Board of NDDC as a means of finding a cost effective means of solving the problem of militancy in the region.

The group had posited then that leaving the running of the NDDC to the Acting Managing Director, Mrs Ibim Semenitari alone, is robbing the government the benefit of using the NDDC board members to getting across to the militants and talking to them in the language they will understand.

In the letter forwarded to the Senate by President Buhari, amongst the 19 persons nominated to serve the board, the former Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba from Cross River State is to serve as Chairman of the Commission, while Nsima Udo Ekere, former Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom state is to serve as the Managing Director of the commission.

Other nominees are Engr Adjogba Samuel from Delta state who has been penciled down as Executive Director (Project), Mene Derek from River State as Executive Director (Finance and Administration), Hon Donatus Enyinna as Abia State representative, Frank Samuel George aAkwa-Ibom state, Prof Brambaifa Nelson Bayelsa State, Sylvester Effefiom Nsa, Cross River state, Dr Ogaga Ifowodo, Delta State, Hon UwuilekhueSaturday, Edo state, Senator Osita Izunaso, Imo state, Olatokunbo Ajasin, Ondo State, and Harry Iboroma Dabibi as Rivers State representative.

The rest are Air Commodore Benard Banfa as North Central Zone representative, Yahaya Mohammed, North East Zone, Mustapha Dankadai, North West zone, Igo Weli, Niger Delta, Dr Mahmoud Isa-Dutse as representative of Federal ministry of Finance and Mr Abdul-kazeem Kasimu Bayero a representative of federal ministry of Environment.

According to the president, the nomination was in accordance with provisions of Section 2 (2)(a) of the NDDC Act 2000. Two Judges were nominated through a different letter by the president for confirmation as Justices of the Supreme Court. Hon Justice Ejembi Eko JCA from Benue state is to fill the void of North Central zone, while Hon Justice Amina A Augie from Kebbi State is to fill the vacancy of the North West at the supreme court.

The nomination of the Justices, the president said, is in compliance with Section 231, Subsecion (1) of the 1999 Constitution as amended. However as the Senate has proceeded on a seven weeks break, the date for screening of the nominees was not fixed.