On Monday the representative of Ilaje/Ese-Odo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Donald Ojogo, has issued a call to President Bola Tinubu, urging him to take immediate action to address the long-standing issue of the South West’s marginalization in appointments to the Governing Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
Ojogo emphasised that the continued exclusion of the South West region, particularly Ondo State, only reinforces the perception that leadership positions within the NDDC, notably that of the Managing Director, are exclusively reserved for the South-South states.
In a letter directed to the President, Ojogo, who previously served as the Information Commissioner of Ondo State, characterised the situation as both disdainful and repugnant.
In reference to Section 12(1) of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) (Establishment, etc.) Act, 2000, the lawmaker drew attention to the provision that mandates the rotation of the positions of Managing Director and two Executive Directors among member states.
Ojogo, in his call to President Tinubu, urged him to take decisive action in ensuring strict adherence to this provision, underscoring the principles of fairness and equitable representation.
He urged careful consideration of the content and essence of the NDDC Act by appointing a qualified individual from Ilaje/Ese-Odo Federal Constituency in Ondo State as the next Managing Director of the NDDC.
“The South West, whose representation Providence has naturally placed on Ondo State, is the Fifth in the production quota. Ondo State, therefore, ought to have been considered for the position of MD even in the last Governing Board of the NDDC that has just been dissolved.
“In considering appointments into other positions such as Executive Director(s) and State Representative on the NDDC’s Governing Board, only indigenes of the oil-producing area should be appointed.
“The appointment of the last Executive Director (Projects) of the NDDC, Mr. Ogunmola, an indigene of Owo Local Government Area from Ondo North Senatorial District, was in flagrant breach of the NDDC Act, 2000, even as amended,” Ojogo said in the letter.
