Behold Those Who May Get Into NDDC Board
5 min read
Barring last minute changes, the federal government will, between now and next week, announce these names as nominees for membership of the board of the NDDC. The names are already with the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs.
Also considered is Chukwudi Dimkpa for the position of Executive Director, Projects.
He was said to have been nominated by the minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.
According to sources, the minister, Senator Godswill Akpabio is considering the nomination of Chief Samuel Ogbuku-Bayelsa-as managing director, while the current interim administrator, Effiong Akwa-Akwa Ibom- is be the EDFA and Dr Cairo Ojugboh-Delta State- the chairman.
If things remain they are, the trio will be presented to the president for appointment and subsequent confirmation by the senate.
However, before now, the senate had already confirmed Maxwell Oko for the position of EDFA, while Pius Odubu was confirmed as chairman of the commission. Chief Bernard Okumagba, from Delta State was confirmed managing director in November last year.
Since then, there have been some undercurrents, leading to the appointment of a caretaker team for the commission. The interim administration was to pave way almost immediately to the appointment of a sole administrator-Effiong Akwa- who has been on the saddle for about eight months now.
The minister has always used the conduct of a forensic audit as reason for the delay in the inauguration of a new board.
But last week, a Niger Delta warlord, Chief Government Ekpemudo, alias Tompolo issued a one week ultimatum for the federal government to inaugurate a new NDDC board.
The minister was to quickly rush to Tompolo’s abode at Gbamaturu, Delta State, to plead for his understanding and allow him more time to initiate the processes for the inauguration of the new board.
Tompolo has already yielded grounds and has extended his ultimatum. A statement he issued to that effect reads in part:
“As I expressed in my press statement of Monday May 31st 2021, I came into this matter because of love for the region and Nigeria. I make bold to say that I cannot be compromised by money and other material things.
“However, the only thing one can do for Nigeria in this trying times, where all the six geopolitical zones are in turmoil, is to pray to God for peace and tranquility, particularly for the economic hub of the country, the Niger Delta region.
“Therefore, I welcomed the consultative meeting of our revered Traditional rulers from the region, Delta State Government, the Ijaw National Congress (INC) led by its President, Professor Benjamin Okaba, leaders from the Itsekiri, Urhobo, Isoko, Ndokwa and other Nationalities with the Minister of the Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Akpabio in attendance, at the traditional headquarters of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Oporoza town on Thursday June 3rd 2021.
“The outcome of the meeting has been made known to the public by the Minister. He promised profusely to start the process of the constitution and inauguration of the substantive board of the NDDC immediately (from Friday June 4th 2021), and that he should be allowed to drive the process to an end on or before the end of June 2021.
“As it stands now, I have accepted the outcome of the meeting reluctantly. It is pertinent to state at this juncture that, I do not want anything to disrupt the relative peace we are enjoying in the region. It was on this premise that I accepted the outcome of the meeting. The ultimate goal in this issue, is for the Minister to abide by the promise he has made to start the process of constituting the NDDC board now. Government shenanigans must be put away in this matter as constituting the NDDC board is very dear to the heart of the people of the region.”
Chief Samuel Ogbuku
He is currently an aide to the deputy senate president on Niger Delta. A passionate, focused and self-motivated political scientist and administrator with diverse knowledge and trainings in community leadership and social development, personnel management and investment, Chief Samuel Ogbuku, born on 19th August 1975 in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State is from Ayakoro in Ogbia LGA of Bayelsa State.
He is a politician with public service experience as current Deputy Paramount Ruler of Ayakoro Town in Ogbia LGA of Bayelsa State and he was Chief of Staff, Government House Yenagoa, Bayelsa State under the administration of His Excellency, Chief Timipre Sylva (2007-2012).
His academic qualifications include a First School Leaving Certificate from Christ the King School Oromineke, Port-Harcourt (1987), West African Examination Council Certificate from Government Secondary School Borikiri, Port-Harcourt (1993), B.Sc degree in Political Science and Administrative Studies (2000), Post-Graduate Diploma Industrial Relations and Personnel Management, Department of Sociology (2002) and M.Sc. in Development Studies, Department of Political and Administrative Studies (2013). He is currently studying for a Ph.D in Development Studies at the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Port-Harcourt.
His hobbies include writing articles, reading, teaching and listening to music.
Dr. Cairo Ojougboh was born September 8th 1959 in Ika South, Delta State, is a doctor and former member of the Nigerian House of Representatives. He is currently running as a candidate for the 2019 Gubernatorial election in Delta State.
Cairo Ojougboh was born into the family of Chief Corlenso Ojougboh and Mrs Angelina Ojougboh (Ezinne). He attended Pilgrims Baptist Primary School, Agbor, Ika South Local Government Area from 1966 to 1971 where he obtained his First School Leaving Certificate (FSLC).
He proceeded to St. Columba’s Grammar School (Now Gbenoba Grammar School, Agbor, Ika Local Government Area, where he graduated in 1976 with a Senior Secondary School Certificate.
He was admitted to Auchi Polytechnic now Federal Polytechnic, Auchi between 1978 and 1979 but later switch to University of Benin, Benin City and graduated with a Bachelor of Surgery, Bachelor of Medicine (MBBS) in the year 1985.
Chairman Alliance for Democracy (AD) 1998-1999
Presidential Liaison Officer to the President on NASS and Special Assistant to Mr. President on NASS (2007 – 2011)
Chairman, Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) (2013- 2015)
National Vice Chairman and Chairman Peoples Democratic Party South South Nigeria – August 2014 – August 2016
Deputy National Chairman PDP[1] – September 2016 – August 2017
Political Adviser to Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark CON, OFR
Executive Secretary National Unity Group (NUG).
Chairman, Delta State [2]PDP Reconciliation and Harmonization Committee (2010)
Presidential Spokesman APC, Presidential Campaign Council Delta State.
Member women & Youth Presidential Campaign Team of the Presidential Campaign Council 2019 General Election.
APC Gubernatorial Aspirant 2019[3], Delta State.
Cairo Ojougboh was the Chairman of the Petroleum Resources Committee, Ad hoc Committee on EFCC Recoveries and a member of the House Committee on Power, the House Committee on Ethnic & Privileges and the House Committee on Industries. He was a member of the disbanded interim management committee of the NDDC that Akpabio brought up, at a time that Nigerians were waiting for the inauguration of the board whose members were already cleared by the senate.
Effiong Okon Akwa
He is at the moment the interim administrator. Since last year, he has been at the helm of affairs in the NDDC. He was first appointed EDFA during the era of the interim management that had Joi Nunieh as managing director. When Nunieh and the other team members left the stage, Akwa became a sole administrator.
Since then, he has been in charge. He is an accountant and is from Akwa Ibom State. He is being nominated by Akpabio to return to the seat as EDFA under the in-coming administration.
