Yemi Olowolayemo
The federal government may have yet another major crisis in its hands unless urgent steps are taken to address the alleged neglect and marginalization of Ilaje, a riverine oil-producing community in Ondo State.
Ilaje Parapo Forum (IPF) at a press conference addressed by its chairman, Foluso Ajimuda called on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately appoint an Ilaje man as the substantive managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC); in addition to making the commission execute projects and programmes that would impact positively on the Niger Delta region.
Appointing an indigene of the area into the NDDC, the IPF contended, would afford the state a representation in the commission and bring the plight of the area to the fore in the scheme of things, particularly allocation and execution of projects.
IPF, the umbrella organization for Ilaje indigenes threatened to resort to violent struggle if all its efforts to draw the attention of the federal government to the deplorable plight of the people failed to yield any fruitful results.
Foluso Ajimuda told Irohin Oodua in Lagos that the organization would have no other choice than to take to violent agitation if the alleged marginalization of the Ilaje people continued unaddressed by the appropriate quarters.
“There is a limit to human endurance. If we are pushed to the wall, we will react. It is only in Ilaje where we have not recorded any violence. Maybe, that is why we are taken for granted”, he said.
The organization noted with dismay that Ondo State had consistently been shortchanged in the appointment of chairman and executive directors into NDDC since its creation, contrary to the provisions of the Act establishing the body which states that indigenes of the member states shall be appointed into the positions in rotation.
The NDDC Act section12 (1) according to IPF states that “there shall be for the Commission a Managing Director and two Executive Directors who shall be indigenes of the oil producing areas starting with member states of the commission with the highest production of oil and shall rotate among member states in order of production”.
All the provisions in the NDDC Act, IPF noted, had been thrown into the trash bin as no Ondo State indigene has neither been appointed as chairman nor executive director; whereas, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Abia and Cross Rivers have had a shot at the chairmanship while Delta, River, Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom had been managing director at different times.
The executive directors, it further claimed had been shared between Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Bayelsa; whereas, Ondo State is the fifth on the production hierarchy with 8.3% of the total output of Nigerian oil.
Ajimuda listed the suffering of the people of Ilaje to include lack of electricity at the headquarters of the local government and absence of roads, potable water and noticeable government presence commensurate with the area’s input to the GDP of the country.
Ilaje people, he said, had suffered oppression and marginalization in silence for long without resorting to armed insurgency or kidnapping or blackmail adding “we can no longer continue to keep quiet. We have to speak out”.
The forum commended President Buhari on his administration’s effort to rid the country of corruption, but urged him to redress the imbalance in NDDC in favour of Ilaje without further delay in the interest of fairness, equity and justice.

NDDC Act is very clear on this but i don't know why some people will want to cause themselves unnecessary heart attack. Go and tell Ilaje Parapo Forum (IPF) that they should go and study NDDC Act before vomiting rubbish.

Section 3 (1) of NDDC Act states that "a member of the Board,other than an ex-officio member, shall hold office for a term of 4 years at the first instance and may be re-appointed for a further term of 4 years and no more."


Also, Section 5 (2) states that "Where a vacancy occurs in the membership of the Board it shall be filled by the appointment of a successor to hold office for the remainder of the term of office of his predecessor, so however, that the successor shall represent the same interest and shall be appointed by the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces subject to the confirmation of the Senate in consultation with the House of representatives."

The last board spent 2years out of their four years; meaning, persons from the same state shall be appointed to fill in their respective vacant state position. So therefore:-

Akwa Ibom will retain the MD position
Calabar- Chairman
Rivers - Finance & Admin
Delta - Executive Director Project.