Appointment: Ondo oil producing communities beg Buhari for NDDC’s top job

As the race for the appointment of the managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) hots up, the oil producing communities in Ondo state have appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari, to give the slot to the state.

The communities said the state could boast of notable indigenes that would perform maximally if considered.

Speaking on behalf of the communities, the Association of Elites Group of Oil Producing Communities in Ilaje Local Government area of the state, said the state had been marginalized enough when it comes to the top positions of the commission.

The leaders of the association, Ayadi Ologo Samson, said since the creation of the commission in the year 2000, no Ondo state person has occupied the position of its managing director.

According to him, the Act that set up the intervention agency made it clear that the position shall be rotated among the oil-producing states in the country.

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He, however, said as the fifth oil-producing state in the country, the federal government should consider picking the next managing director of the commission from  Ondo state.

He noted that some states that had at one time or the other occupied top positions in the commission had again been agitating for the post of the chief executive officer.

Ayadi said, “It is an indisputable fact that Ondo State is fifth highest Oil Producing State in the country. It was recorded that some people from different quarters are agitating for the position in an attempt to manipulate and create unwarranted problem in the region”.

The people also sought the intervention of the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Tinubu, on the issue and make case for the state.

He said, “We want to plead with the national leader of the APC to be courageous enough in nominating Chief Olusola Oke as a candidate for the position of Managing Director in NDDC as we are sure of his ability to lead the commission successfully”.

The communities expressed confidence in the ability of the present government to ensure that “fair play, equity, and justice prevail while taking the decision on the matter.”