Ondo indigenes demand slot on NDDC Board

Indigenes of Ilaje coastal areas of Ondo state have asked President Mohammadu Buhari to immediately forward the name of the state’s representative on the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to the Senate for screening.

The indigenes, under the aegis of the Ilaje Coastal Areas Development Association (ICADA) said, that indigenes of all oil producing areas of the coastal communities of Ondo State have mandated the association to write the letter.

The association also thanked the Senate and Senate President Bukola Saraki for rejecting the initial nominee for failing to comply with Section 2(1b) of the NDDC Act.

In a letter signed by President of ICADA, Prince Lawson Akintokun (J.P) and the Secretary, Comrade Bode Asogbon, the association expressed displeasure over the delay in appointing a credible replacement for the nominee earlier rejected by the Senate.

According to the association, the president should immediately name a nominee from the oil producing area of Ondo State to join the board inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari on November 7.

The letter reads in part: “We demand to be represented in accordance with the provision of the Niger Delta Development Commission (Establishment etc) Act 2000 Act no 6 law of the Federation of Nigeria, section 2 (1b).

“Which provides that “one person who shall be an indigene of an oil producing area to represent each of the nine oil producing states i.e. Abia, Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross-River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo and Rivers.

“Therefore, as a peace loving people, we implore Mr President to consider our inclusion on board as paramount since we have credible people from the oil producing coastal areas of Ilaje Local Government of Ondo State who can give us qualitative and quantitative representation, as our exclusion will amount to injustice to our people.”