An Ijaw leader and First Republic Federal Information Commissioner, Chief Edwin Clark, on Tuesday called on the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to constitute a substantive board for the Niger Delta Development Commission.
He also told the President to make public the report on the completed forensic audit of the NDDC and the White Paper “to enable Nigerians to know those who are culpable.”
Clark warned Buhari not to listen to the selfish demands of a few individuals from the Niger Delta who, he claimed, want to continue to milk the region.
According to him, the people of the Niger Delta would resist any attempt to appoint another Interim Administrator for the NDDC.
Clark stated these during a solidarity visit to him by members of the Delta Central All Progressives Congress Leaders of Thought led by Chief Ominimini Obiuwevbi.
The text of his speech, read by Clark’s first daughter, Rebecca Okorodudu, was titled, “The constitution of a substantive board for the NDDC, long overdue.”
Clark said, “May I use this medium to kindly appeal to His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, to please, as a matter of importance and urgency, constitute a substantive board for the NDDC in accordance with the Niger-Delta Development Commission (Establishment etc.) Act, 2000, No. 6, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.
“When the Forensic Audit Report was submitted to President Muhammadu Buhari on September 2, 2021, he promised to set up a substantive board. About 10 months later, no board was constituted. This is affecting the duties of the commission, and the people of the Niger Delta region, because there is a limit to the things an interim administration can do.
“There are rumours of some people making moves for the appointment of another Interim Administrator for the NDDC. As Mr. President ends his tenure, we plead and wish that the cordial relationship which has been established out of very deliberate and concerted efforts should not be truncated. We plead with him not to listen to the selfish demands of a few individuals who want to continue to despoil and milk dry the Niger Delta region.
“My simple message to His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, is for him to constitute, without delay, a substantive board for the NDDC, in line with the Act setting up the commission.
“I also wish to add here that, now that the forensic audit is completed and the White Paper is out, the report should be made public to enable Nigerians to know those who are culpable.”
