Niger Delta Coalition For Good Justice, Fairness and Equity weekend pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari as the champion of the rule of law, fairness, justice and equity to direct that the law and the quantum of production should be strictly adhered to in the appointment of the next Managing Director (MD) of the Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC).
The Coordinator General (CG) of the group, Engr. Bruno Odaro Ighinovia, in a letter dated 14th October, 2022 and addressed to the President titled, Re: Niger Delta Development Commission and this need for Justice, Fairness and Equity in the appointment of the next Managing Director said “it is therefore clear that Edo State produces 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(RMAFC). 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) provides that “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 the order of production.
“S.30, the definition section of Act provides that oil means oil and gas.”
Part of the letter that was obtained by Popular News reads: “Our attention has been drawn to the motion and subsequent resolution of the House of Representatives on Thursday, June 10, 2021 calling for fairness and equity in the constitution of the board of Niger Delta Development Commission.
“While we agree with the call for equity and fairness, we hasten to correct the assertion that Ondo State is the 5th in the order of production of oil and gas amongst the NDDC States.
“Nothing can be farther from the truth. Edo State occupies the 5th position in terms of quantum of production in both oil and gas in the region.”
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