On-niger-delta-state-governors-rejection-of-board-nominees-of-the-nddc-by-president-buhari-a-move-that-is-uncalled-for-and-not-their-official-primary-roles

Dr. Pius Odubu, newly appoined Chairman of the NDDC


Bernard Okumagba, newly appointed Managing Director (MD) of the NDDC

ON NIGER DELTA STATE GOVERNORS' REJECTION OF BOARD NOMINEES OF THE NDDC BY PRESIDENT BUHARI - A MOVE THAT IS UNCALLED FOR AND NOT THEIR OFFICIAL PRIMARY ROLES
With recent reports that the Governors of Niger Delta States have rejected the Board nominees of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), which was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari, we consider it necessary to respond and reiterate the fact that this should not be the official primary roles of the said Niger Delta Governors. They ought to be focused on being accountable to their States, in the governance and management of their individual States' resources, which they have continued to deplete in the last few decades.
While the nine States under the Niger Delta region include Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta, Edo, Abia, Imo, and Ondo, however, the sole responsibility of appointing the Managing Director (MD), Chairman and Board members of the NDDC belongs to President Buhari, which he did. The appointed 15 board members of the Commission, with Pius Odubu, a former Deputy Governor of Edo State, as its Chairman, still needs to be approved by the Senate. The reported statement by the said State Governors, who expressed concerns over the appointment, saying the process does not reflect effecting governance mechanism, simply does not hold any bearing and totally uncalled for.
Are the Niger-Delta Governors not ashamed of this shameful statement? Should they be reminded that it is the responsibility of Mr. President to pick a qualified technocrat within the Niger-Delta States to be appointment as either MD, Chairman or Board members? The President can decide to disclose/announce the names of his appointees through any channel in his office. When has that become the problems of the Niger-Delta State Governors? President Buhari, as the President of the entire country, has the power to appoint any person he deems fit to be appointed in the NDDC or else where at the Presidency, before such appointed names are given to the Senate for approval. Are the Niger-Delta State Governors trying to take over the responsibilities of the Senate or what?
The Niger-Delta State Governors should be concerned on how to be accountable to their individual States and people, rather than dabbling into what does not concern them. The Managing Director (MD) and Chairman of NDDC appointed by President Buhari, are Niger Delta people. Are the NDDC MD, Bernard Okumagba and the Board Chairman, Pius Odubu, not natives of the Niger-Delta? So, what exactly is the problem of the so called Niger Delta Governors?
Have the Niger-Delta State Governors been able to use their oil and gas derivatives money to develop their States? No, they haven't! All they have proven to do best, is to use the oil and gas wealth of the Niger State region as if it is their own money. All the Niger-Delta State Governors have failed woefully in the development of their States, especially with the oil and gas wealth accrued to their States. Are the Niger-Delta State Governors not ashamed of themselves? Shame on them!
We implore President Buhari and members of the Senate to completely ignore these jobless Niger-Delta State Governors because they really do not know what they are doing. The Niger-Delta State Governors have a lot to do for their respective home States. They need to honestly develop their States, rather than focusing their energy on the appointments by President Buhari on the NDDC Board. The President has the full power to appoint the Board members of the NDDC.
The Niger-Delta State Governors, whom have failed to develop their respective States with State funds and federal allocations available to them, do not really have the right and standing to question President Buhari's appointment decisions. If the President has appointed their PDP members, would they have faulted him? In my own view, the APC have qualified technocrats from the Niger-Delta region, and which he has appointed to manage the NDDC. The Niger-Delta State Governors should focus on their States' development. They have huge responsibilities on their shoulders, to address in their various States. Sadly, they have been nothing but a bunch of idle Governors in the Niger-Delta region that are without vision and are clueless, as to how to transform their States.
Are they expecting President Buhari to appoint their PDP members as Board Directors of NDDC? The State Governors of the Niger-Delta region should be reminded that they have no power to run the Federal administration for President Buhari. They do not have any constitutional right to dictate to President Buhari on how to run the Federal administration. They should focus and confine their roles to State administration, which they were supposedly elected to do.
 
 
Zik Gbemre
 
 
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