The Nigerian Senate has confirmed Lauretta Ifeanyi Onochie as chairperson of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
Lauretta Onochie and other members of the committee’s board were confirmed by the Senate during Tuesday’s plenary session following a report from its Committee on the Niger Delta that had earlier confirmed their nominations.
Nairametrics reported last month that President Muhammadu Buhari had nominated Onochie as NDDC chairman.
Senator Amos Bulus, who introduced the motion for confirmation, said the Senate should receive and consider the Niger Delta Committee’s report on the confirmation of the nominees as Chairman and Members of the Niger Delta Development Commission ( NDDC).
Those nominated and confirmed by the Senate include;
- Lauretta Ifeanyi Onochie – President – Delta State – South-South, Dimgba Erugba – State Representative – Abia State – South East, Dr. Emem Wilcos Wills – State Representative – Akwa-Ibom State – South-South, Elder Sen. Dimaro Denyanbofa – State Representative – State of Bayelsa – South-South and the Hon. Orok Duke – State Representative – Cross River State – South-South.
- Others are Dr. Pius Egberanwen Odudu – State Representative – Edo State – South-South, Eng. Anthony Okanne – State Representative – Imo State – South East, Hon. Gbenga Edema – State Representative – Ondo State – South-West and Elekwachi Dinkpa – State Representative – Rivers State – South-South.
Senator asks the president to comply with the NDDC law in appointments
Senator Seriake Dickson in his presentation asked the Senate to include a clause in its resolution that should force the president to comply with a part of the law that establishes that nominees must come from oil-producing communities.
- He said: “I think this is an appropriate time to congratulate the president. Finally, we have the nominations of Mr. President to properly constitute the NDDC Board and Management as required by Law”. –Senator Seriake Dickson
- Those who constitute this Agency must be people who are from the area and who feel the pain”. –Senator Seriake Dickson
- “We should have a Clause in our resolution that calls for the current President and future Presidents to implement the Law to comply with the nominations that must come from oil-producing areas.”–Senator Seriake Dickson
what you should know
Remove Nairametrics latest report month than President Muhammadu Buhariin a letter to the Senate, he requested the confirmation of Lauretta Onochie, his special assistant on new media, as substantive chair of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
This new appointment comes some 18 months after the Senate rejected Onochie’s nomination as national commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The upper legislature had bowed to pressure from Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), opposition parties led by the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and Nigerians by refusing to confirm Onochie as INEC National Commissioner. .