The South-South Emerging Leaders Forum (SELF) has raised alarm over the delay in confirmation of the nominees forwarded to the Senate by President Muhammadu Buhari as members of the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
The forum deemed the delay unnecessary and accused Ovie Omo-Agege, the Deputy Senate President, of orchestrating a plot to thwart the president’s efforts and create confusion in the region for his personal gain.
In a statement released Thursday in Abuja, the forum’s national coordinator, Barr Benjamin Kwalowei, urged the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, “not to allow himself to be used by selfish politicians to achieve political scores in the Niger Delta.
According to the statement, the people of the Niger Delta region should ask Omo-Agege why he refused to allow them to send the nominees to the Senate committee on NDDC for confirmation.
“The people of the Niger Delta will hold DSP Ovie Omo-Agege responsible for any crisis at the NDDC for his selfishness.
“We are in the know that the Deputy Senate President is working with the NDDC acting managing director, Mr. Emma Audu-Ohwavborua, for a three-month extension to enable them to spend the money coming from the EFCC and the ecological fund meant for the commission without a board for easier expenditure.
“A man with this kind of selfish character cannot be trusted to govern the good people of Delta state,” the statement said.
The South-South forum said it is the first time the Senate has taken so long to confirm nominees from President Muhammadu Buhari under the current administration.
“Senator Ahmad Lawan should not allow himself to be used by selfish politicians to settle political scores in the Niger Delta. Confirming the nominees will help stabilise the peace in the Niger Delta. We are appealing to the Senate President to urgently consider confirming those names, as President Muhammadu Buhari forwarded,” the statement said.
