The presidential nominees to the Board and Management of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) have been screened and confirmed by the House of Representatives.
On Thursday, the designates went before the House ad hoc committee tasked with conducting the screening.
In her remarks, the Chairman of the House Committee on NDDC, Hon. Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, charged the designates to justify the confidence reposed in them by H.E. President Bola Tinubu, saying, “Now, more than ever before, the NDDC needs visionary leaders with integrity to drive the discharge of the commission’s mandate, to translate to tangible impact on the lives of the people and communities in the Niger Delta.”
Mr. Chiedu Ebie and Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, NDDC Chairman and Managing Director/CEO designee, respectively, spoke about their different professional paths and ambitions for the commission during the screening process.
Following that, the Deputy Minority Leader of the House, Hon. Ali Isa, moved the motion for the designates to take a bow in recognition of the fact that the Senate had similarly screened and confirmed the designates, as well as the fact that some of the designates are former parliamentarians.
The motion was seconded by the Deputy Leader of the House, Hon. Abdullahi Ibrahim Halims, and unanimously carried by the committee.
Following the ad hoc committee’s decision to confirm all of the nominees, the National Assembly is expected to immediately transmit its resolution to the Presidency, effectively fulfilling Section 2(2)(a) of the NDDC Act, which mandates that nominees be screened and confirmed by the Senate in consultation with the House of Representatives.
The designates confirmed include: Mr. Chiedu Ebie, Chairman (Delta); Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, Managing Director/CEO (Bayelsa); Mr. Boma Iyaye, ED, Finance & Admin (Rivers); Mr. Victor Antai, ED, Projects (Akwa Ibom); Hon. Ifedayo Abegunde, ED, Corporate Services (Ondo); Senator Dimaro Denyanbofa (Bayelsa); Mr. Abasi Ndikan Nkono (Akwa Ibom); Rt. Hon. Monday Igbuya (Delta); Chief Tony Okocha State (Rivers); and Hon. Patrick Aisowieren (Edo).
Others are Mr. Kyrian Uchegbu State (Imo); Hon. Otitio Atikase (Ondo); Chief Dimgba Eruba (Abia); Rt. Hon. Orok Otu Duke (Cross River); Hon. Nick Wende (North Central); Hon. Namdas Abdulrazak (North East); and Senator Dr. Ibrahim Gobir (North West).
According to Hon. Prof. Julius Inhovbere, the House leader, the designates are charged with the responsibility to chart a new course for the very critical interventionist agency and be just and fair to all the communities.
He further urged the designates to be guided by the fear of God and respect for the constitution in the discharge of their duties, saying that “Nigerians expect to be proud of your achievements. You all owe the duty to Nigerians to perform.”Justice for all is justice for one, and justice for one is justice for all,”, he said.
