Chief Edwin Clark, an esteemed statesman and leader of the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), has spoken out on his desire for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to make amendments to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
Clark’s main focus is to remove non-Niger Delta oil-producing states such as Abia, Imo, and Ondo from the intervention agency.
In a press conference held in Abuja, Clark emphasized the necessity of this move and also urged President Tinubu to make the forensic audit report of the NDDC public. According to Clark, the inclusion of these three states is a political anomaly.
He pointed out that these states have been allocated a disproportionate share of management positions, exceeding that of the primary oil-producing states, and the infrastructural development has not followed an equitable basis.
Clark shed light on the origins of this inclusion, stating that during discussions with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, there was strong resistance from Northerners against establishing the NDDC. They demanded the creation of the Shiroro Dam Commission instead. To garner support from South-East and South-West legislators, President Obasanjo advised including the non-Niger Delta oil-producing states in the NDDC.
Highlighting the reasons behind his call to remove these states, Clark referenced the NDDC Establishment Act of 2000, which clearly outlined the functions of the nine states and the composition of the executive management. He argued that the addition of Ondo, Imo, and Abia was a political irregularity.
Clark further referred to the relevant sections of the Act, particularly Part I Section 4, which stipulates the rotation of the chairman’s office among member states in alphabetical order. The Act also emphasizes the importance of considering the unique contributions of each member state in exercising its functions.
Moreover, Part IV Section 12 outlines the requirement for a managing director and executive directors to be indigenes of oil-producing areas, with rotation among member states based on their production quantum.
Clark acknowledged that while the law allows for executive rotation based on production quantity, the Federal Government has limited this rotation to the four major oil-producing states, namely Delta, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, and Rivers, to ensure fairness and equity.
He firmly asserted that the NDDC should remain under the administration of the six original Niger Delta coastal states and praised President Tinubu for his actions to correct this situation.