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PANDEF calls for inauguration of a board for NDDC

Published

5 years ago

June 11, 2021

The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has given the Federal Government a one-week ultimatum to inaugurate a board for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

Leader of the forum, Chief Edwin Clark made the appeal while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.

Clark, an highly respected elder statesman in the Niger Delta region said the inauguration of a board for the commission was critical in the interest of the people of the region.

Speaking on who becomes the commission`s board chairman, the elder statesman said there was no need for the perceived power tussle, adding that the best man should be given the job.

“The two persons involved are from my state and are my children, but all am interested in, is for a board to be inaugurated for the commission.

“And this should be done within the next one week, ‘’he said, adding that his desire was to see the better person for the job appointed.

Clark added that the inauguration of a new board for the commission was critical to enable it realise its mandate of impacting positively on the lives of the people of the region.

Speaking on the commission`s forensic audit initiated by Dr Cairo Ojougboh to audit the commission`s past records and verify projects before payments were made, Clark expressed hope that a new board would deliver a more acceptable audit.

He noted that the forensic audit which did not go down well with fraudulent contractors and some power brokers in the state had gulped so many monies.

Ojougboh who is the immediate past Executive Director of Project of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) hails from Ika South of Delta and he is a trained medical doctor and former member of the House of Representatives.

He graduated from the University of Benin with a Bachelor of Medicine (MBBS) in the1985 and contested the Delta governorship election in 2019.

He was a Presidential Liaison Officer to the President on National Assembly (NASS) and Special Assistant to the President on NASS between

2007 – 2011.

Ojougboh was also the Chairman, Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) and Presidential Spokesman APC, Presidential Campaign Council Delta.

He was a member of the Ad hoc Committee on EFCC Recoveries and a member of the House Committee on Power, House Committee on Ethnic and Privileges and the House Committee on Industries.

Most Delta Stakeholders who spoke to the NAN believed that Ojougboh is the best man for the post of the NDDC Board Chairman.

His preference they said stemmed from the fact that he is a no nonsense man with the capacity and ability to turn the commission around for good for the people of Niger Delta.

Notable stakeholders in the region are in agreement on the choice of Ojougboh, especially as they believe that the position should be spread.

A member of the Senate leadership who preferred to remain anonymous, however, said that the Senate would consider any nominee of the presidency based on merit.

The source recalled that Ojougboh’s name was earlier presented by the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs at a stakeholders meeting as the preferred choice for the position.

This, the source said was applauded as there was no descanting voice.

The source said it was however surprising that the minister consequently submitted the names of Ojougboh and Bernard Okumagba to the Senate.

This, he said, may have been done out of some pressure on the minister by a high ranking Senator from Delta who was bent on forcing his choice of candidate on the people of Niger Delta.

The source wondered why the people of the region would not be allowed to have their choice candidate as was the case in board appointments.

The source said that while the presidency was waiting for the conclusion of the forensic audit on the commission before constituting a board for it, most auditors see the exercise as a scam and a lost cost.

The people of the region believe that it was only a properly constituted board that could initiate the process that would deliver an acceptable forensic audit of the commission.

They said the forensic audit was a scam and that they could therefore not wait for it to be completed before a board was constituted for the commission.

The position of Executive Chairman of the NDDC had been a subject of much debate. A compromise was reached where the position would be rotated within the nine oil producing states in alphabetical order: Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross river, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo and Rivers.

But the board has not been constituted since January 2020 when the previous board was disbanded to allow forensic investigation.

On June 10, the House of Representatives asked President Muhammadu Buhari to constitute the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The lawmaker urged the government to comply with sections 4 and 12 (1) of the NDDC Act, by appointing Chairman of the commission from Delta State, Managing Director from Ondo State and Executive Director, Finance and Administration from Edo State.

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Eagle Times Newspaper Will Be Voice for Nigerians – Publisher Chukwunyere Vows

Published

4 hours ago

October 2, 2026

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The Publisher of The Eagle Times Nigeria, Sir Ikechukwu Chukwunyere, has pledged that the newspaper will promote accountability, credible journalism and public-interest reporting in its coverage of national affairs.
Chukwunyere made the commitment on Thursday, October 1, 2026, during the official unveiling and launch of The Eagle Times Nigeria.

He said the new media organisation was established not merely to add another newspaper to Nigeria’s media landscape, but to provide a platform committed to serving the public interest.

According to him, the newspaper’s guiding philosophy, “The Voice for the People, The Watchdog for the Nation,” places a responsibility on the organisation to listen to Nigerians, tell their stories, highlight issues affecting their daily lives and scrutinise those entrusted with public responsibilities.

“To be a voice for the people means that we must listen to Nigerians, tell their stories, highlight their concerns and give visibility to issues that affect their daily lives,” he said.

The publisher added that The Eagle Times would be guided by accuracy, fairness, professionalism, credibility and responsible journalism, stressing that the newspaper would not publish stories merely because they were sensational.

“We will verify. We will investigate. We will seek the other side. We will correct our mistakes when we make them,” he said.

Chukwunyere further stated that the newspaper would endeavour to give individuals and organisations the opportunity to respond whenever allegations were made against them.
“Our commitment is not to any political party, government or individual. Our primary commitment is to journalism, to truth and to the Nigerian public,” he said.

He noted that the newspaper was launching at a time when the media industry was undergoing rapid transformation, with audiences increasingly consuming news through digital platforms, including websites, television, podcasts and social media.

He said The Eagle Times would therefore operate as a multimedia organisation, combining its newspaper with digital platforms and The Eagle Times TV to reach audiences across different channels.

According to him, the organisation also intends to create opportunities for young journalists, writers, photographers, producers, digital creators and other media professionals to develop their skills and contribute to journalism and national development.

Chukwunyere said the newspaper’s coverage would include politics, governance, business, economy, security, judiciary, education, health, technology, sports, entertainment, lifestyle and international affairs.

He, however, said the organisation intended to distinguish itself not only by the subjects it covered but by the quality and approach of its journalism.

We want to tell stories that matter, we want to investigate issues that require investigation, we want to highlight Nigerians who are making a difference, and we want to give communities that are often ignored an opportunity to be heard,” he said.

The publisher acknowledged the challenges involved in establishing a newspaper, saying the venture required investment, commitment, professional discipline and the courage to pursue an idea.

He expressed appreciation to the management, editorial, reporting, production and digital teams, as well as families, friends, partners and supporters who contributed to the establishment of the organisation.

Chukwunyere also assured readers, viewers and the newspaper’s digital audience that The Eagle Times would strive to earn their trust and remain accountable to the standards it had set for itself.

He said the newspaper’s success would not be measured only by circulation figures, website traffic or social media followers, but also by the confidence Nigerians placed in its journalism.

“Today, we spread our wings. Today, The Eagle Times takes flight,” he said, reaffirming the newspaper’s commitment to its slogan: “The Voice for the People, The Watchdog for the Nation.”

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