President Buhari Urged To Inaugurate The NDDC Board

…Says Court cases and calls on the Federal Government against the inauguration of the screened board members of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) by Itsekiri Ethnic Nationality is unfortunate, diversionary and Selfish.

A former Delegate to the 2014 National Conference and foremost Civil Society Leader, Hon Charles Ibiang and a coalition of civil societies has commended President Buhari for his choice of a seasoned Administrator, passionate Niger Delta Compatriot and a good Manager of Men and resources, Chief Dr Samuel Ogbuku as Managing Director of NDDC and urged him to Inaugurate the NDDC Board without delay.

Speaking in a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday signed by Hon. Ibiang, the Group stated that the appointment of Chief Dr Samuel Ogbuku by President Muhammadu Buhari, as the Managing Director of the troubled NDDC is very strategic, well deserved, comforting, and a masterstroke.

Ibiang observed that Mr President understood that now is a challenging time for the Niger Delta Region and NDDC as a commission so the Leadership and its operations require an unusual approach and temperament.

Therefore, having a Personality with the requisite knowledge, experience, and broad-mindedness, who understands the issues in the Region cannot be over-emphasized.

Dr Samuel Ogbuku is the right choice.

The NDDC has remained without a Governing Board for a very long time. What is wrong with the inauguration of a board and a sustainable Structure for efficient service delivery he queried.

This move should be seen by the Itsekiri Ethnic Nationality and others as a sacrifice that is not too big to make at this point. We are one people with common destiny!

The Powers of the Executive (Presidential) to make appointments rest and resides with the President, which he has exercised fully and nobody can deny him of his Powers that is well protected by the Nigerian Constitution.

The Presidential System compromises three Arms of Government, which operate independently but mutually. No one arm of the Government can stop the constitutionally guaranteed powers of another arm of the Government.

Therefore, the Courts neither usurped the Powers of the President to appoint nor the Powers of the Legislature to make laws or confirm appointments made by the President as empowered and directed by the Constitution.

In line with the above argument, it’s preposterous, for individuals, or groups with a sense of Entitlement to rescind or cause a Court to void an appointment lawfully made by President Muhammadu Buhari in line with the Constitution and Governing Act of the NDDC.

For any group to want to use the Court to achieve the obvious, can be seen as the height of political naivety and hallucinations, poor knowledge and understanding of the Presidential System.

Agreed, there are issues in the Niger Delta among various Nationalities, that requires discussions and negotiations but trying to elevate sole ownership of a commonwealth or NDDC leadership, and appointment is self-serving, destabilizing, and capable of fuelling renewal of ethnic tensions in the Region.

Ibiang further advises that Conflict resolution and Crisis management approaches should be explored more to resolve some of these concerns, instead of litigations or Court cases.

The current Court Cases are a dangerous precedent, that if allowed to suffice, will give impetus to every ethnic nationality to use as a stagnation strategy against each other and the development of the Niger Delta Region.

The Court cases will now be the new frontiers of embedded ethnic Nationalities proxy wars in the Region.

Therefore, we call on the communal peace-loving, the well-learned, urbane and ebullient spirit of the Itsekiri people, her Traditional Institution to prevail on their Sons and daughters to allow peace to reign by withdrawing all legal impediments and court cases to the Inauguration of the Board. We also call on the Ilaje people to resolve their issues Politically instead of through other Court Cases.
The Unity of the entire Niger Delta People at this time should be our collective responsibility. Tomorrow the appointment may favour You.

The negative Narrative sponsored by Enemies of the Niger Delta, reinforced by certain Fifth columnists within the Niger Delta, is that if you are not from a particular ethnic Nationalities or Communities in Oil bearing States of the Niger Delta then you are not worthy of Heading NDDC is unhealthy and causing division in the Niger-Delta Region. We shouldn’t allow this type of segregation or xenophobic ideology to destroy our common unity.

We Niger-Deltans, cannot continue to function like an Atomistic Society, continually and perpetually in conflict with itself. Or exhibition of the philosophy found in the Kingdom of Crabs of pulling down each other always.

I call on all Niger Deltans to allow peace to reign and support Chief Dr Samuel Ogbuku as the commission’s Managing Director, and Mrs Lauretta Onochie, Chairman Board to be Inaugurated, to achieve our desire to have an efficient NDDC that will deliver for all Niger Deltans.