The Senate Tuesday confirmed appointments of Special Assistant on New Media to President Muhammadu Buhari , Lauretta Onochie as chairman of the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission ( NDDC ) along with those of managing director, executive directors and members of the commission.
It however demanded for forensic report carried out on the commission by the presidency.
Confirmation of appointments of 13 out of the 15 presidential nominees for the board by the Senate , was sequel to adoption of recommendations made to that effect by the Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs which was kicked against by some Senators.
Senators who raised objections to confirmation of some of the appointees like Lauretta Onochie as chairman of the board and Charles Ogunmola as executive director (Project) were Seriake Dickson (PDP Bayelsa west) and Nicholas Tofowomo ( PDP Ondo South).
Senator Dickson in his objection to Onochie and some other nominees allegedly did not come from oil producing areas. They said bad precedents should not be laid with such confirmation.
“In as much as we want the NDDC board re – constituted for efficient and effective performance of the commission as far as development of Niger Delta region, we should not allow violation of the extant laws of the commission in anyway.
“Some of the nominees already screened and recommended for confirmation by the Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs are not from oil producing areas which are clear violations of relevant provisions of the NDDC Act.
“Aside that, one of the nominees from Ondo state whose appointment was kicked against by the entire three senators from the state , is also listed for confirmation,” he stated.
The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, who quickly interrupted him, told him to talk for himself and not other senators.