A group, Ilaje National Alliance Movement, has urged the Senate not to succumb to blackmail by rejecting the nominee of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), for the Niger Delta Development Commission from Ondo State.
The group claimed that the President followed due process and does not breach any law by nominating capable individuals for several positions on the NDDC board.
In a statement on Monday signed by the group’s Chairman, Alex Omotehinse, and Secretary, Oluwatobi Fagbemi, noted that those against Buhari’s nominees were bent on derailing the projected development of the current regime.
According to them, the President did not breach any section of the NDDC Act because the agency was not established to serve the interest of a singular ethnic group or people.
The group urged the lawmakers not to fall to antics by disgruntled elements to deny Ondo State the nomination of Mr. Charles Ogunmola for the position of Executive Director (Projects) on the NDDC board.
The statement read, “These characters have already flooded the Presidency and Nigerian Senate with a trailer-load of petitions to scuttle the confirmation. Well, we are grateful to President Muhammadu Buhari for nominating this worthy son of Ondo State in accordance with the NDDC Act to serve as ED (Projects). The NDDC Act which we have carefully and objectively examined was enacted to serve as an interventionist agency for Niger/Delta States and not the towns and villages where oil is explored.
“We, however, by this medium, want to inform the senate that it should not allow itself to be blackmailed into rejecting the nomination of Mr Charles Ogunmola on the false and bogus premise that he’s not from an oil-producing community in the state. “12.— (1) of the NDDC Act says “There shall be for the Commission, a Managing Director (applicable to the Eds), who Shall— (a) be an indigene of one of the member States of the Commission.
“The foregoing is a retrogressive narrative being pursued by some enemies of the state who do not want Ondo State to enjoy the benefits of having her son as an Executive Director for the first time since the inception of the NDDC 22 years ago. These folks do not mind selling their heritage just to satisfy the cravings of their parochial and evil desire to the detriment of the people of Ondo-State.”
It added, “Regardless of whatever anyone wants to say, our position is that the oil in Ilaje belongs to Ondo-State just as the Cocoa in Idanre, the limestone in Ifon and Okeluse and the Bitumen in Irele belong to the people of Sunshine State.
“Therefore, in doing so, we encourage the Senate to ensure that the nomination of Mr Ogunmola is confirmed so that the prebendal forces of darkness and members of opposition parties hiding under the divisive guise of ethnic jingoism will not have their way especially now that all leaders of conscience are pushing for more ethnic integration as a panacea for bringing peace and stability to the country.”
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