NDDC Board: Nigerian Senate confirms Lauretta Onochie, Dr. Ogbuku, 11 others, rejects nominees from Edo, Imo

Oredola Adeola

The Nigerian Senate has confirmed President Muhammadu Buhari’s nomination of Lauretta Onochie, Special Adviser to the President on Social Media, as the substantive chairman of the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, (Bayelsa State representing South-South) as Managing Director NDDC, for two years to complete the unexpired term of his predecessor in office.

The Senate during the plenary on Tuesday after receiving the report of Amos Bulus, chairman of the Niger Delta committee, confirmed the nomination of the 13 nominees and stood down the nominations of Dr. Pius Egberanwen Odudu from Edo State, and Engr. Anthony Okanne from Imo State, for their failure to appear before the Senate for screening.

The eleven(11) nominees confirmed by the Senate are Charles B. Ogunmola (Ondo State representing South West) as Executive Director (Projects); Major General Charles Airhiavbere (Edo State representing South South) as Executive Director (Finance) in the NDDC; Prof. Tahir Mamman, SAN, OON, (Adamawa State representing North-East) member, Alh. Mohammed Kabir Abubakar (Nasarawa State representing North Central) member and Alh. Sule-Iko Sadeeq Sani Sami (Kebbi State representing North-West)member.

Others are Hon. Gbenga Edema (Ondo State representing South-West) member; Elekwachi Dinkpa (Rivers State representing South-South) member; Elder Sen. Dimaro Denyanbofa (Bayelsa State representing South-South)member and Orok Duke (Cross River State, South-South) member; Dimgba Erugba (Abia State representing South-East) member and Dr. Emem Wilcos Wills (Akwa-Ibom State representing South-South) member

Senate President Ahmad Lawan in his remark said, “At last, we have the NDDC getting proper management and more and I believe that time is of the essence here. This confirmed Chairman and members should hit the ground running. So much time has been lost.

“I believe that from now until when their tenure will expire, they have a lot of work to do. Let’s see NDDC as a development institute rather than a cash cow.

“To those that will be taking over the mantle of leadership, I also want the Executive arm of government to send the copies of the forensic audit of the NDDC to both members of the National Assembly,” the Senate President said.

President Buhari had in a letter earlier sent to the Senate said, “In accordance with the provisions of Section 2(2) A of the NDDC Act, Cap N86, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, I, hereby, present the underlisted 15 names of nominees as chairman and members of the NDDC for confirmation by the Senate.”

The Senate, it would be recalled had earlier, rejected Onochie’s nomination as commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in October 2020, after the outrage it received from a section of the public, following concerns that she was a card-carrying member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).