Date Published: 05/13/09

Dear Sir,

As the fight for NDDC top positions hot up

Reading the front page of Sunday Independent, May 10, 2009, on how there is (now) confusion in Aso Rock over appointments to NDDC, I was amazed. NDDC is a national property.

A group under the auspices of Elders and Stakeholders of Akwa Ibom stock had posited that (with) the annexure of further 186 oil-wells from neighbouring States, and Akwa Ibom becoming (now) the highest oil producing State, it is their turn to produce the NDDC’s next Chief Executive. They would not allow Rivers State that is the Federal Government choice to. Funny enough, there is disagreement within Rivers itself, as a group, United Rivers Progressive Front, in its advertorial warned that the position of the NDDC boss must not go to the Ijaws as being demanded by MEND, noting that the Ijaws already occupies the national seats of Vice-President, Ministers of State for Petroleum and that of the Niger Delta Ministry.

Looking back, I doubt if Emmanuel Aghariwodo, a native of Delta State, became the Chief Executive of NDDC at the time because Delta State was the highest producer of oil, or Bayelsa the highest when Alaibe (an Ijaw) was the NDDC Chief Executive.  A question for the Akwa Ibom stakeholders making the demand now is where they were and what was their stand when Ambassador Edem as the Chairman of the NDDC spent nearly N1billion for a native doctor’s prayers? They should be thanking their God for making Akwa Ibom oil producing State through the instrumentality of former President Ibrahim Babangida, and which was achieved through their former Military Governor Nkanga and the Lady of Songs, Christy Essien-Igbokwe. They should also thank God for people like Victor Attah who fought Obasanjo when the latter tried to return Akwa Ibom to its earliest status of non-oil producing State.

Finally, it will be more equitable that the Presidency looks for a technocrat, not necessarily from the Niger Delta area, to take over as the Managing Director but let the Chairman and other Directors come from the Niger Delta area.

Cosmos Erhabor

Plot 453 Mississippi Street

Maitama, Abuja