Board Dissolution: Why President Tinubu Must Probe NDDC’s Preferential Treatment

By John Mayaki

The Coalition for Good Governance and Economic Justice in Africa has lamented what it termed “preferential treatment” in the dissolution of Boards of all Federal Government Parastatals, Agencies, Institutions and Government-Owned Companies, while a letter by the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs directed the MD/CEO of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to oversee the affairs of the interventionist agency until a new board is constituted.  

The NGO called on President Bola Tinubu to order the dismissal of the Managing Director of NDDC, Mr. Samuel Ogbuku and his cronies, and  subsequently order a probe of the letter from the Ministry of Niger Delta which reinstated the management while not doing so for other interventionist agencies with similar mandate so as to avoid suspicion that something was fishy. 

A statement released in Portharcourt by the group’s Executive Director (Niger-Delta), Mr. Balogun Atari Radcliff said whereas, the office of the Secretary to the Federal Government announced exemptions to the dissolution such as Commissions and Councils listed in the Third Schedule, Part 1, Section 153 (i) of the 1999 Constitution of thr Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended. 

Whereas, the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation also issued a directive clarifying that thr Boards of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) are exempted from the directive on dissolution. 

Whereas, Nigerians had expected the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to issue another letter directing that the NDDC was not part of the dissolution, but to their chagrin, a letter from the Ministry of Niger Delta, singed by its Permanent Secretary ordered the Managing Director who incidentally is a member of the NDDC Governing Board that was dissolved to continue to oversee the agency instead of the most senior civil servant that is mandated to handle the affairs of the commission during any dissolution of the board. 

As if this preferential and unequal treatment in the dissolution of the Boards was not enough, the Managing Director, Mr. Samuel Ogbuku, in contrast to the letter from the Ministry of Niger Delta announced that it was only the NDDC Governing Board that was dissolved by the directive of the Federal Government, while the Commission’s Management team, consisting of the NDDC’s Managing Director, the Executive Director Finance and Administration as well as the Executive Director Projects remained intact. 

Mr. President Sir, above events is fueling disappointment and dissatisfaction across the country because assuming without conceding that the NDDC was qualified for any preferential treatment, Nigerians expected that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation would have issued a letter explaining the position of government with clarity on whether the Board was affected or not and not just a powerful cabal in the management of the agency reappointing themselves into office. 

Mr. President Sir, we need you to urgently intervene in this unwholesome arrangement and flagrant disregard to due process capable of tainting your budding administration and painting it in bad light. It is our fear that this seeming unequal treatment could cast a huge shadow of distrust in your budding government that has rekindled hope among Nigerians and the international community being a departure from the past administrations that allowed the mismanagement that was evident at the NDDC till date. 

The Nigerian people deserve to know why the NDDC was exempted from the list of Boards that were hitherto dissolved while a letter permitting the MD and his cronies to continue in office thereby suggesting unequal playing field and preferential treatment. It is our fears that if this trend is not urgently addressed, other affected agencies and parastatals may also “play ball” to get their own expectations met, however, illegally. 

Howbeit, Mr. President’s decision to dissolve all the boards and agencies was greeted with accolades and commendations and knowing the President as one with political will, he must stamp his feet and insist that the happenings at the NDDC be reversed. We also want to appeal to Mr. President to revisit the NDDC forensic audit carried out sometimes in 2022, release the White Paper, findings and recommendations and then commence total cleansing of the agency for optimum delivery of its objectives. 

Niger Deltans have suffered in the midst of plenty. Citizens of the region live in squalor and abject poverty while allegations of contract frauds and fiscal recklessness, to Procurement law infractions, audit violations, cronyism, non-budgetary and extra-budgetary spending, and extensive disregard to procedural rules reign supreme at the agency.

Unfortunately, those left behind to manage the affairs of the agency cannot deliver development and cannot also be exempted from its mismanagement - they are complicit in the corruption bedeviling the agency and should not be allowed to continue. 

Mr. President, Nigerians and Niger Deltans demand an overhaul, a rejuvenated and better positioned agency that would deliver the needed development - Your Excellency, we believe this is not too much to ask considering the strategic positioning of the region.