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The amalgam of Niger Delta groups, Coalition for the Restoration of Legality in the NDDC, has condemned the Oil Mineral Producing Areas Landlords Association of Nigeria (OMPALAN) for asking President Muhammadu Buhari to constitute a new board for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) instead of inaugurating the already nominated and screened board members.
In a statement by Igonibo Danagogo, national president and Ofem Okang, national secretary, the coalition faulted this call, saying that President Buhari had already nominated members of the NDDC board in October 2019, who were screened and confirmed by the Senate in November 2019.
“The substantive NDDC board has already been screened by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and, was, in fact, on the verge of resuming at the commission before its inauguration was put on hold for the now concluded forensic audit to take place,” the coalition said.
It said the confirmed board of the NDDC “was never dissolved by President Buhari because the board had not even been inaugurated in the first place and, even at that, a board that had not been allowed to work for even a single day could not possibly be dissolved on grounds of incompetence.”
Expressing disappointment with OMPALAN, the coalition said: “We find it most unfortunate that these highly vexatious stunts are being pulled for personal aggrandisement and private gain with scant concern for the sustenance of the fragile peace of the Niger Delta region or regard for the feelings and sensibilities of its people who have had to put up with an NDDC they have neither representation in nor, accountability from.”
It said with the conclusion of the forensic audit of the NDDC, President Buhari should make good his promise of inaugurating the already confirmed Governing Board.
The coalition recalled that President Buhari had, in June, while receiving the Ijaw National Congress, said the NDDC Board would be inaugurated as soon as the forensic audit report was submitted and accepted.
It said there was no court order or judgment against the inauguration of the Board appointed by President Buhari since it was confirmed by the Senate on November 5, 2019, insisting that claims and suits referred to had not been upheld anywhere.
The coalition said OMPALAN and others who want to distract President Buhari must stop forthwith, while urging President Buhari to inaugurated the NDDC board as promised.
