Oil producing states governors to meet Buhari over NDDC appointments
Governors from oil producing states are set to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari over the recent appointment of chairman and members of governing board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
Rising from a meeting at the Bayelsa State governor’s lodge in Abuja Thursday night, the governors faulted the appointments as not evenly spread among the oil producing states.
Speaking on behalf of the governors, Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa state said at the meeting aimed at reviewing current development in NDDC, issues were raised about the governance process of the commission.
The governors said the meeting became expedient because of the expression of anger by people of some of the oil producing states over lopsidedness in political appointments in their states.
They are confident that such parley with Buhari will douse tension already building in those states.
Governor Dickson said ” governors of oil producing state that are members of the Niger Delta Development Commission comprising if nine states cutting across different party lines have just met to review current development and issues pertaining to NDDC.
“We are concern about recent appointments and reconstitution of the board of NDDC which has led to protests in some of our states.
” We agreed at the meeting to have audience with President Buhari as critical stakeholders in the NDDC.
“We are concerned about the governance process of the Commission. We have not seen much collaboration between the federal government and states in the oil producing region.
” When we meet with the president in very soon we shall discuss in greater details our views about the governance of the commission.”
The governors called on aggrieved people in their states to remain calm and not take laws into their hands but allow the governors to interface with President Buhari.
The Daily Times gathered that in Delta state, other ethnic nationalities felt shortchanged by the appointment of Mr. Bernard Okumagba, an Urhobo man as the Managing Director of NDDC.
They felt aggrieved that the Buhari administration has recently inaugurated Mr. Festus Keyamo another Urhobo man as Minister of State for the Federal Ministry of Niger Delta, to the neglect of other tribes like Isoko, Itshekiri, Kwale and Ijaw.
Present at the meeting were; Governors Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa, Godwin Obaseki of Edo, Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo and Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom .
Governors of Delta and Imo were represented by their deputies while Rivers ,Abia and Cross River stated were not represented at the meeting.
