By Ozioruva Aliu
BENIN CTY – A Niger Delta pressure group, Niger Delta Coalition for Good Justice, Fairness and Equity has called on President Mohammadu Buhari as the champion of the rule of law to direct that the law and the quantum of production should be strictly adhered to in the appointment of the next Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
A letter by the coordinator of the group, Bruno Igbinovia which was made available to Vanguard in Benin City on Sunday said from the law establishing the NDDC, Edo State was in the right to produce the next head of the Commission.
Part of the letter dated October 14, 2022 reads: “it is clear that Edo State produce’s more oil and gas than Ondo State and it is the 5th ranked producer and it is therefore by law, equity, fairness and justice her turn to produce the Managing Director.
“For the avoidance of doubt, stated in the annexure attached hereto are the official facts and figures from both the offices of the Accountant General of the Federation and Revenue Mobilization Allocation and fiscal Commission. The figures from the above offices from January 2022 to August 2022 show the production quantum for all the oil producing states, Edo and Ondo inclusive.
“Flowing from the above figures, it is obvious that Edo state occupies the position after Delta State, Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Bayelsa State respectively. Consequently, Edo State is therefore next in line to produce the Managing Director under this dispensation since the four directors, attached herewith as annexure are the relevant documents containing the composition of all the governing boards and their states of origin since 2001. Also included are the names of Managing Director, the interim board/sole administrator.
“The Edo State position is not only supported by the: facts and figures, it is also founded in Law. The relevant sections of the Niger Delta Development Commission (Establishment, etc) Act 2000 are Part iv S. 12 (1) and Part vi S. 30. viz S. 12(1).”
Credit: VANGUARD.
