The Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, on Tuesday, confirmed the Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on New Media, Ms Lauretta Onochie, as the new Chairman of the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC and Charles Ogunmola, Ondo State, South West for the position of Executive Director, Projects.
Meanwhile, both Onochie and Ogunmola are not from the oil producing areas of the Niger Delta, an action which violates the NDDC Act.
According to the report submitted by the committee, the Senate also confirmed Chief Samuel Ogbuku for the position of Managing Director of the NDDC for a term of two years, to complete the unexpired term of his predecessor in office.
Samuel Ogbuku is from Bayelsa State.
The Senate also confirmed Major- General Charles Airhiavbere, (retd), from Edo State, South -South for the position of Executive Director, Finance.
The Upper Chambers, also confirmed Charles Ogunmola, from the non oil producing Owo, Ondo State, South West, representative for the position of Executive Director, Projects but held back confirmation of former deputy governor of Edo State, Dr. Pius Odubu, as the State representative for Edo State.
The Chairman and other board members were confirmed by the Senate following the presentation and consideration of the report of the Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs by the acting Chairman, Senator Bulus Amos, APC, Gombe South.
Recall that on November 5, 2019, Dr Odubu was screened and confirmed as chairman of the board but the board was never inaugurated leading to the resending of his name to the Senate in the new list sent by President Buhari, last November as Edo State representative.
It was gathered that Odubu did not appear for screening which made the Senate in its report presented on Tuesday, to step down his nomination.
The Senate also stepped down the nomination of Engr. Anthony Okanne, as state representative for Imo State, for non-appearance during the screening by the Committee.
Others confirmed by the Senate were Dimgba Erugba (State Representative, Abia, South-East; Dr. Emem Wilcos Wills, State Representative, Akwa Ibom, South -South; Elder Dimaro Denyabofa, State Representative, Bayelsa State, South -South, Hon. Orok Duke, State Representative, Cross River, South-South; South-East and Hon. Gbenga Edema, State Representative, Ondo State, South – West.
Others were Elekwachi Dinkpa, State Representative, Rivers State, South-South; Alhaji Mohammed Kabir Abubakar, ( Zonal Representative, Nasarawa State, North-Central; Alhaji Sule Iko Sadeeq Sani Sami (Zonal Representative, Kebbi State, North-West; and Professor Tahir Mamman, SAN, (Zonal Representative, Adamawa State, North-East.