By John Ikani
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) is facing a fresh crisis with the Chairman of the Governing Board, Lauretta Onochie accused of attempting to take over the duties of the Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku.
The NDDC board has been a subject of controversy in recent times, with the inclusion of certain individuals drawing widespread condemnation from Nigerians.
In fact, some Ilaje stakeholders in the oil-producing area of Ondo State have gone as far as suing the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration over the composition of the agency’s board.
The commission has been without a board for nearly four years, following a series of controversies surrounding its leadership.
However, on December 20, 2022, the Nigerian Senate confirmed the nominations of the Chairman and board members of the commission, after President Buhari sent their names in accordance with the NDDC (Establishment) Act, 2008.
According to sources within the commission, a board meeting called by Onochie during the week was shunned by board members.
The source went on to reveal that the former presidential media aide attempted to create the office of the ‘Executive Chairperson’ and also proposed to have 18 Special Assistants, which were both rejected.
“NDDC commissioners have moved against Onochie. Imagine, this woman tried to create the office of ‘Executive Chairperson’. She even demanded to have 18 Special Assistants to be working for her.”
Onochie, a former Personal Assistant to the President on New Media, has a history of controversy, with her nomination as a commissioner for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in 2020 sparking public outrage.
Many criticized the appointment, citing Onochie’s position as a presidential aide and alleged member of the ruling All Progressives Congress as reasons for her lack of objectivity and neutrality as an INEC commissioner.
In July 2021, the Senate rejected Onochie’s controversial appointment as INEC national commissioner, following a report from the committee on INEC that disqualified her based on federal character principles and the fact that there was already a serving commissioner from her home state, Delta.
It is worth noting that Onochie’s appointment as the Chairman of the Governing Board of the NDDC also attracted criticism, with human rights lawyer and activist, Chief Malcolm Omirhobo, describing her as unfit for the post, due to a lack of moral standards to administer the affairs of the NDDC.
