Buhari appoints Lauretta Onochie as board chairman of NDDC

Nigeria’s president, Muhammadu Buhari, has appointed Lauretta Onochie, his Special Assistant on new Media, as Chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The President wrote to the Senate on Wednesday, seeking for the confirmation of Onochie for the role.

President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan who read the letter from President Buhari, read out the other fifteen members making up the list for the NDDC, just as former Deputy Governor of Edo State, Dr. Pius Odubu, General Charles Airhiavbere is the Executive Director, Finance.

Soon after the list was read, the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, APC, Delta Central however protested that the there was no representation from Delta State in line with the act establishing the NDDC that each state of the NDDC must have a representative, just as he pleaded with the executive to correct the anomaly.

Lawan promised that he would ensure that the Act was adhered to as he promised to take it in order not to delay the screening.

Recall that the Senate had in July last year bowed to pressure from Civil Society Organisations, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and other Nigerians and refused to confirm Onochie, who is from Delta State, as a Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).