By : Emmanuel Fateman
In a press statement jointly signed by Mr. Iteveh Nur’ Ekpokpobe, FIMC and Faith Johnny on behalf of the Niger Delta Development Agenda (NDDA) had said, the fulcrum of our nascent democracy is the independence and viability of the legislature in Nigeria without which we would have only reinvented our glory past.
He added that, the viability of legislature, hence, is predicated on how well it represents and the yearnings of Nigerians.
Barely two months ago Nigerians witnessed the inauguration of it’s 10th National Assembly.
With this came the emergence of new Leadership for the legislature.
While the Senate is led by Senate President Godswill Akpabio and the Federal house of assembly was bless with the leadership of Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abass.
The Niger Delta Development Agenda wishes to commend the National Assembly for the promptly announcements of the standing membership leadership committees for Legislative activities to kick off in earnest.
The group said, it’s focusing on the Senate, where , days ago the Distinguish senate President Godswill Akpabio announced 74 Standing Committeses and their Leadership in the 10th Assembly, were the leadership include, Senate Committee on Air Force, headed by Senator Akwashiki Godiya.
Committee on Anti Corruption and Financial Corruption Senator Emmanuel Udende.
Committee on Aviation is headed by Senator BuHari Abdulfatai,
Senate committee on Capital Market is headed by Senator Osita Izunaso;
Senate committee on establishment and public service headed by Senator Cyril Fasuyi:
Committee on ecology and climate Change been headed by Senator Dickson etc.
While we again hail the Constitution of these Committeses, we frown at the fact that as many as the Committeses are, almost every state was allocated the Chairmanship of a committee except Delta state.
As Concerned Deltans, we see this as an affront on the development and mettle of Delta State especially when juxtaposed with our Contribution to the development of Nigeria economically and other wise.
We do not know the rationale behind the decision of the Senate Leadership to exclude Delta state from having control of even a single Committee where some states have two to three committees.
As a PAN Niger Delta Group, we shall Streamline our focus only on South-South Nigeria. Out of the 74 Commuters , Cross River State got three, Rivers State got two, Akwa Ubom got two, Edo State got ONE, Bayelsa got 1, while Delta State got (0) Ekpokpobe. said.
Considering the Crude oil derivation statistics of Niger Delta within the First four months of 2023 as published , we are yet to come to terms with how the Chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) went to Cross River State that is Technically not a Shareholder. He concluded
