The Coalition of Civil Society Organisations for Good Governance (CCSO4GG) has passed a vote of confidence in the management of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), led by Mr. Samuel Ogbuku.
The coalition in a press release issued on Sunday called on President Bola Tinubu to disregard unfounded demand for the sack of the team and to continue to support the ongoing efforts of the commission to bring development and prosperity to the Niger Delta region.
The spokesman of the coalition, Comrade Johnson Oluwatobi, while responding to recent threats by the Coalition of Niger Delta Civil Society Organisations, demanding the sack of Mr. Samuel Ogbuku and chairman of the board, Mr Chinese Ebie, said the real motive of the group is to undermine the significant progress being made in the region.
He said this group had raised frivolous and baseless allegations of administrative lapses and legal breaches within the NDDC, just to discredit the mass of credible job being done by the NDDC management.
“Their attempt to destabilise the NDDC leadership under Mr. Samuel Ogbuku is a thinly veiled attempt to derail the positive momentum that has been achieved under this administration, which has brought unprecedented development, transparency, and accountability to the region.
“Regarding their claims that Mr. Chiedu Ebie’s appointment as NDDC Chairman violates the Niger Delta Development Commission (Establishment Etc.) Act 2000, we categorically reject this assertion.
“The group has clearly misinterpreted Section 2(2) of the NDDC Establishment Act, which does not in any way invalidate Mr. Ebie’s appointment.
“The Act does not stipulate that the Chairman of the NDDC must come from a specific state or region, and Mr. Ebie’s appointment is both lawful and in line with the relevant provisions of the law. This claim is yet another example of the group’s attempts to sow division and confusion in the region, without any legal or factual basis.
“Under the current leadership of the NDDC, significant strides have been made in improving the quality of life for citizens across the nine Niger Delta states – Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Rivers, and Ondo.
“The NDDC has prioritized the equitable distribution of contracts and development projects, ensuring that all states benefit fairly from the Commission’s interventions. From infrastructure projects to skill development programs, the current leadership has shown a commitment to uplifting the people of the Niger Delta, regardless of political affiliation or geographical location,” he said.