Elders from riverine communities under the aegis of Ilaje Unity Forum (IUF) have appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to constitute the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and make the nomination from the state the managing director of the board.
They said it was the turn of Ondo State to produce the MD of NDDC.
In a statement issued in Akure and signed by the Chairman of the group, Stephen Jatuwase and Secretary, Olabanji Orogbemi, the elders hailed Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for recommending Gbenga Edema as the MD of NDDC.
They said Edema as the chairman of the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) served meritoriously.
They appealed to President Buhari to inauguratethe NDDC board without delay, in order for it to kick start total development of the Niger Delta.
The statement said: “We are stunned by the insinuation of some faceless individuals that Edema is not from an oil producing community.
“Those behind such irritating falsehood ought not to have exhibited their ignorance to the whole world.
“The detractors should know that the issue of Edema not being from the oil producing area of Ondo State was laid to rest as far back as in 2017 in Suit No HOK/27/2017 Otunba Erejuwa & 6 Ors. v. Governor of Ondo State & 2 Ors.
“In line with Section 12, 1 of the NDDC act, the President nominated Edema and had also been screened and confirmed by the Senate as a member of the yet to be inaugurated board of the NDDC since 2019.
“Knowing the development Ondo State will experience by having one of its own to occupy the position of the managing director of the NDDC, what we need at the moment is to support governor’s efforts at bringing the position to Ondo State.”