The Senate has mandated that its Committee on NDDC address the issue of tenure renewal for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Board by liaising with the new Secretary General of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha.

Presenting the motion titled “The illegal extension of the tenure of the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC)” at the plenary session of Wednesday, 8 November 2017, Sen. Emmanuel Paulker (PDP: Bayelsa) stated that the immediate past Acting Secretary of the Government of the Federation, Dr. Habiba Muda Lawal had contravened the provisions of section 5(3) of the NDDC Act, 2010 by extending the tenure of the present Board of the NDDC. The section provides that:

“Where a vacancy occurs in the membership board it shall be filled by the appointment of a successor to hold office for the remainder of the term of his predecessors, so however, that the successor shall represent the same interest and shall be appointed by the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces subject to the confirmation of the Senate in consultation with the House of Representatives”.

Explaining further, Sen. Paulker said that the Commission which was established to tackle developmental issues affecting the Niger Delta region comprised of Board members from Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo and Rivers States. The Office of the Chairman usually rotated amongst member States in alphabetical order.

According to Sen. Paulker, the immediate past Acting Secretary to the Government of the Federation had acted “illegally” with respect to the NDDC Act by extending the tenure of the Board, currently chaired by former Senator Victor Ndoma Egba. According to him, the former Senator and political appointee of the President was merely meant to serve out the remaining term of the former Chairman of the Board, Sen. Bassey Henshaw whose duration will expire in December 2017.