I was not shocked by the meddlesome court ruling that is challenging the constitutional rights of the President of Nigeria to appoint, including appointments at the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC. I hope someone is on his or her way to court to vacate the unconstitutional ruling.
From when the President in his wisdom, decided to clean the nyama-nyama or poto-poto or colossal mess at NDDC, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege has been up in arms, working underground to undermine Mr. Innocent Buhari who installed him as the Deputy Senate President, thinking they can work together for the benefit of the people of Niger Delta. His morbid hatred for the Minister of Niger Delta, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, Prof. Keme Pondei, the IMC Chairman and Dr. Cairo Ojougboh the EDP of the IMC, is debilitating.
Although he’s after Senator Akpabio for diligently following the instructions of Buhari on setting up the Forensic Audit on the NDDC, he is more bitter with Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, an Anioma man he would rather, see sidelined. He could have taken Dr. Ojougboh’s role at the NDDC with a pinch of salt if he was not from Anioma, the same ethnic group as Madam Onochie.
Recall the battle against the heart and soul of NDDC at the National Assembly, it was all woefully staged and directed by Senator Ovie Omo-Agege. His Media Aides were galvanised and were up in arms on the Social Media, challenging the power of Buhari to appoint.
While the President is concerned that the investment Nigerians have put back into the oil region has not yielded a change in the quality of the lives of the natives, this native son of Niger Delta, is determined to maintain the status quo: Keep Niger Delta in perpetual poverty.
Ovie is all about Ovie and no one else. Information gathered from an aide of his, confirms what is being said in Delta State; that DSP also owns the Niger Delta River Basin Development Authority. The Aide lamented and argued that the DSP has wrapped up the Basin Authority and should be able to pay a meaningful wage to most of his 600 Aides who are on a pittance. When reminded that the funds from the Basin Authority are proceeds of corruption, he said it was not his business but that of EFCC and ICPC. I couldn’t agree more.
This is another agency that Mr President need to set up an Interim Management body to look into so that the nation will see the heist that has been committed under the watchful eyes of the EFCC and the ICPC. Over to them!
All the fight against the NDDC Interim Management Committee is also to divert attention from the morbid corruption at the Niger Delta Basin Development Authority. The EFCC in particular, must look into the books of this agency of government especially as the DSP is mounting an underground campaign to nominate the next set of leaders for the agency as the term for the current leadership, draws to a close.
We are beginning to hear, “Its the turn of Delta State”, meaning, “It’s the turn of DSP Omo-Agege”. The President should set up another Interim Management Committee as he did with NDDC. Its working in NDDC. It will work in the Basin Authority. Let’s get to the bottom of the excruciating poverty in the Niger Delta.
Omo-Agege is a trader. He has in his employment, another trader, Barr. Daniel Bwalla who is doing all his dirty jobs. According to another one of the 600 Aides of Omo-Agege, who pleaded anonymity, it was Daniel who mobilised the Civil Society Organizations to protest the well deserved appointment of Mrs. Lauretta Onochie as an INEC Commissioner. This Aide added that Omo-Agege has been boasting that if Buhari does not sack the Interim Management Committee of the NDDC and install the kangaroo NDDC board he nominated and expressly approved at the Senate, that Buhari’s nominations for INEC will remain in the cooler. So far, it has.
So, is the Distinguished DSP Ovie Omo-Agege really gender sensitive? Let’s look at the evidence. On one hand, he is sponsoring a court proceeding Against Buhari to force the government to implement the 35% affirmative action in favour of women. Great move!
On the other hand, he is mounting a campaign against the appointment of Mrs. Lauretta Onochie by the same President that he has dragged to court cowardly using surrogates. Of his 600 Aides, less than 10% of them are women. Please who is fooling who?
Ovie has a mission to fulfil in the ruling party. According to the holy books, the devil cometh not but to steal, to kill and to destroy (Jn. 10:10). Let Buhari’s men and women open their eyes. Ovie’s allegiance is 0% Presidency, 10% Lagos, 40% PDP and 50% Ovie Omo-Agege. E no shock me!
Affy Ayomo
