The Ijaw National Congress, (INC), Ondo State Chapter, has kicked against the appointment of Hon. Ifedayo Abegunde as the Executive Director, Corporate Services of the Niger Delta Development Commission Commission, (NDDC).
Abegunde is from Akure South Local Government in Ondo State.
The Chairman, Ijaw National Congress (INC), Ondo State Chapter, Akure, Hon. Bonsuwe Ogonobibi Ominidougha, in a statement on Tuesday, commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the timely and prompt constitution of the Niger Delta Development Commission Board, (NDDC), just barely three months in the office.
He stressed that it was a confirmation of the responsiveness of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government to the yearnings of the people of Niger Delta and Nigeria as a whole.
According to him, even though the Congress is happy with the constitution of the board, at the State level, the INC, totally condemns the appointment of one Hon. Ifedayo Abegunde as the Executive Director, Corporate Services of the Commission (NDDC), who they said is from Akure South Local Government in Ondo State.
According to him, the appointment contravenes the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Act 2000, section 12, subsection 1.
He stated that the Act clearly and unambiguously stated that the MD and the ED, shall be bonafide sons and daughters of the oil producing states.
“There shall be for the Commission, a Managing Director and two Executive Directors who shall be indigenes of oil-producing areas starting with the member states of the Commission with the highest production quantum of oil and shall rotate amongst member states in order of production
“As at present, we have two oil-producing Local Government Areas in Ondo, Ese-Odo and Ilaje, since Hon. Otito Atikase has been appointed from Ilaje Local Government Area as the Ondo State Representative in Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Board, it is natural and just the Executive Directorship position should go to Ese-Odo Local Government Area,” the statement said.
Ominidougha explained that in furtherance to above stated position in Ondo State presently, that the body saddled with the responsibility of managing 40 percent of the 13 percent Oil Derivation Fund to the state, which is known as “Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission ( OSOPADEC)”, has its Chairman and Secretary, as Mr Sam Erejuwa and Dr Victor Koledoye, who are Ilaje and Apoi men, respectively.
He said on that ground that the Congress, of the Ondo State Chapter, believes that the Executive Director, Corporate Services (NDDC), should be given to an Arogbo – Ijaw man without much ado.
According to him, the stand of the Congress was taken in an emergency meeting held during the week.
He said their views are anchored on the fight for the cause of Justice, fairness, fair- play and equity, which according to him, supports the criticisms against Hon. Ifedayo Abegunde’s appointment, who is from Akure South Local Government in Ondo State.
The INC Ondo State Chapter, therefore called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Ondo State Government and well- meaning Nigerians to support their cry against marginalized Ondo State Ijaws in order to consider an Arogbo-Ijaw man for the Executive directorship position of the NDDC.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, you are known for constitutionality, law and order, justice , fairness and equity from your days at NADECO till date.
“The Ilaje/Ese-Odo Federal Constituency consists of Ilajes, Arogbo-Ijaws and Apoi-Ijaws.
“The Arogbo-Ijaw people have not occupied such key position in both Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and Ondo State Oil-Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) before,” the statement said.