•Explains Delay In Reconstituting NDDC Board
Fresh from a six-week recess, the Senate, on Tuesday, received requests from President Muhammadu Buhari for the confirmation of a new Deputy Governor for the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN); chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC); and as Director-General for the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
According to a statement by Ezrel Tabiowo, Special Assistant (Press) to President of the Senate, President Buhari urged the Senate to confirm his recommendation of Dr. Kingsley Isitua Obiora, Professor Adeola Akande, and Captain Musa Shuaibu Nuhu, as Deputy Governor of the CBN; Chairman of NCC; and Director-General for the NCAA respectively.
The requests were contained in letters addressed to the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, and dated January 16, 2020, December 24, 2019, and January 7, 2020, respectively.
President Buhari said his request for the confirmation of Obiora is “in accordance with the provisions of Section 8(1)(2) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) (Establishment) Act 2007.
Obiora, an Alternate Executive Director in the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington DC, USA, replaces Dr Joseph Nnanna, who retires on February 2, 2020. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Statistics from the University of Benin, a Masters in Economics from the University of Ibadan, and a Doctorate in Monetary and International Economics, also from the University of Ibadan.
Besides Prof. Akande (South West), the President also nominated Uche Onwude (South East), “in accordance with the provision of Section 8(1) of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.”
The request for the confirmation of Captain Nuhu, an airline pilot and aviation safety expert with well over 30 years of cognate experience as DG of the NCAA, the request noted, is “pursuant to Section 8, Part IV of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (Establishment) Act.
Meanwhile, the Senate, also on Tuesday read a letter from President Muhammadu Buhari on why reconstitution of the new board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) as duly confirmed by the Senate last year was put on hold.
In a letter addressed to the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, and dated December 23, 2019, Buhari said the decision was to allow the Interim Management Team, led by Joy Nunieh, to carry out a forensic investigation of the commission.
The letter recalled “that after the dissolution of the board of the NDDC, an Interim Management Team was set up to manage the affairs of the Commission before a new board was composed and sent for Senate confirmation.
“The Senate is invited to note that while the process of composition and Senate confirmation of the appointment of the Board was ongoing, I had directed that the forensic audit of the commission be carried out, which is being overseen by the constituted Interim Management Team.
“Based on this, and in order to allow for the uninterrupted process of the Forensic investigation, the board appointment confirmed by the Senate has to be put on hold to allow the Interim Team continue to manage the Commission pending the outcome of the forensic audit.
“Thereafter, a new Board of the Commission will be recomposed for confirmation by the Senate,” the President added.
Those confirmed by the Senate for the NDDC board are Dr. Pius Odubu, Chairman; Bernard Okumagba (Delta), Managing Director; Otobong Ndem (Akwa Ibom), Executive Director of Projects; Maxwell Oko (Bayelsa), Executive Director of Finance and Administration; Jones Erue (Delta); Victor Ekhator (Edo); Nwogu N Nwogu (Abia) and Theodore Allison (Bayelsa).
Others are Victor Antai (Akwa Ibom), Maurice Effiwat (Cross River), Olugbenga Edema (Ondo), Uchegbu Kyrian (Imo), Aisha Muhammed (North West); Shuaibu Zubairu (North East) and Abdullahu Bage (North Central).