₦airaland Forum

President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the recomposition of the Dr. Pius Odubu-led Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The President also validated the existence of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the commission led by Dr Joi Nunieh.

The new twist at the NDDC was contained in a statement on Thursday morning by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Mr. Femi Adesina.

According to the statement, the supervisory power over the commission would continue rest with the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs.
The President also informed that the IMC of the commission would function until the forensic audit of the accounts and activities of the commission, which he ordered earlier in the year, is completed.

“President Muhammadu Buhari has approved that the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) be recomposed and inaugurated after the forensic audit of the organisation.

“The President has also directed that the Interim Management Team of the NDDC shall be in place till the forensic is completed, and that the supervision of the Commission shall remain under the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs,” statement said.

The Board, which was screened by the Senate on October 30, 2019, has not been inaugurated by the President, a situation that has raised a lot of dust from many stakeholders and groups in the Niger Delta region.

The Board has Dr Pius Odubu, from Edo State as Chairman; Chief Bernard Okumagba from Delta State as Managing Director; Mr Maxwell Omo from Bayelsa State as Executive Director, Finance and Administration; and Engr. Otobong Ndem as Executive Director, Projects.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi would not commit on Wednesday to sending the articles of impeachment to the Senate, saying in a post-impeachment-vote news conference, "That would have been our intention, but we'll see what happens over there."


Some progressives have urged Democratic leaders to withhold the articles until Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, agrees to procedures for the Senate trial that Democrats have called for, as well as agreeing to bring in firsthand witnesses like acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney to testify.

Pelosi said Democrats will make the decision "as a group" on when to send the articles to the Senate.

There are procedural concerns behind not sending the articles to the Senate on Wednesday night immediately after the votes. Among them: Democrats can't send the articles at this time because the Senate would have to take them up Thursday, blocking votes on other measures, including a spending package that must pass before week's end to avoid a government shutdown.

McConnell has openly sparred with his Democratic counterpart, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, over the format of the Senate trial. Earlier this week, McConnell rejected Schumer's call for four witnesses to testify.

In the coming days, the House must also name impeachment managers for the Senate's trial, another step Pelosi was not ready to make Wednesday night.

"We cannot name managers until we see what the process is on the Senate side, and we hope that will be soon," Pelosi said. "So far we haven't seen anything that looks fair to us, so hopefully it will be fair."

McConnell told Republican senators at a policy lunch Tuesday that he will announce the date for the start of the Senate trial by the end of the week, according to sources.

It's unclear what advantages there would be to withholding the articles of impeachment from a Senate trial. When McConnell was asked this week about the possibility of articles not being sent over, he told reporters, "I'm in no hurry."

One Republican senator told CNN in a text message, "If the Speaker thinks this magically gives Democrats leverage in the Senate she hasn't been paying attention to how McConnell operates the last few decades."

The Alake of Egbaland , Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, and the Olota of Ota , Prof . Abdulkabir Obalanlege, are set to clash over a disputed land in Iju - Atan in the Ado - Odo /Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State .

Following threats by both sides , anxiety has gripped residents of the disputed area which comprises six communities – Ajegunle , Onigbongbo , Ketu Oluyomi , Atan , Kooko and Iju .

Speaking on behalf of Egba , the Alatan of Atan , Oba Olatunji Oluyomi , who was installed by the Alake accused the Olota of Ota and two other monarchs of claiming ownership of the land which he said was not under their prescribed authority.
The Alake representative said the Olota in company with the Onilogbo of Ilogbo , Oba Samuel Ojugbele, and one other had allegedly taken possession of Egba land in the disputed area .

Oba Oluyomi further accused the Olota - in - Council of continuous trespassing despite several court judgments restraining them from the land .

The monarch explained that the Gbalefa was a portion of Egbaland , claiming that only the Alake , the paramount ruler of Egbaland had prescribed authority on the land based on the history of the community.

He said , “ The Olota and his subjects are using land grabbers to take over some of our land . We are trying to check them and this has made us write a series of letters to the government and police to notify them about the invaders .

“ We have five judgments that declared that the Olota does not have any power on Gbalefa , but it is as if the Olota , Onilogbo and Oniko are just taking the law into their own hands .

“ Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, the Alake of Egbaland remains the prescribed authority of Gbalefa peninsula and its environs based on the historical antecedents of Gbalefa peninsula .

“ Both the Ota and Gbalefa districts are under the control of Alake of Egbaland , but both are quite different from each other despite that they are both under the same Ado - Odo/ Ota Local Government. ”

He added , “ On the prescribed authority, the Alake of Egbaland has successfully installed about 25 Baales and seven chiefs in Gbalefa peninsula without any hindrance. ”

When contacted , the Olota of Ota insisted that there was nothing like Gbalefa land, describing it as a “ fraud. ”

He warned the Alake - in - council to desist from the attempt to take over the land that does not belong to it.

He added that the historical fact did not support the Egba claim .


He said , “ I must explain that my subjects will not quarrel over any land that does not belong to them so ; if they are allegedly quarrelling with anybody over a piece of land, it means the land belongs to them.

The monarch added , “ The security agencies are aware of the development and I want them to caution those causing confusion . ”
He challenged the Alake - in - council to produce the judgment that ordered it to take over the Ota land
He said the matter had been appealed and won, urging the security agencies to stop the Egba people from taking over the Ota land to avoid crisis .

The altercation between the Ijaw ethnic nationality and Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, continued at the weekend following the attack on the governor by the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide.

The IYC in a statement signed by the IYC Secretary-General, Mr. Alfred Kemepado, reminded Wike that 42 of its kinsmen in Rivers State died in the violence that characterized the election that made him a governor.

Kemepado, who issued the statement at Harry’s Town expressed disappointment that despite their death, Wike had yet to give them befitting burials.

He said by threatening to remove an Ijaw King in Rivers State, Wike was dancing on the graves of the 42 dead kinsmen.

He said the 42 dead bodies and more of Ijaw youths, who needed proper burial in the Buguma and Abonnema towns of Rivers State, were still waiting for the governor to bury them properly.

While commending Wike for visiting late Dr Ferry Gberegbe, a victim of such violence in Khana and donated about N200m, Kemepado, however, said not even a condolence letter had been sent to any of the victims in Abonnema, Buguma including Sister Ibisiki, who was also murdered in same manner in Degema.

He said: “The harmless youths were murdered by federal forces while they stood to defend the democracy that made Governor Wike the Governor of Rivers State.
“Up till date, a befitting burial has not been given to any of the Ijaw sons or even compensation to their families. Wike visited Late Dr Ferry Gberegbe, a victim of such violence in Khana and donated about N200m, which iscommendable, but not even a condolence letter has been sent to any of the victims in Abonnema, Buguma and our Sister Ibisiki who was also murdered in same manner in Degema.

“This act of disregard alone, demonstrates Wike’s disrespect and disregard for the lives of our people. Instead, Governor Wike is spitting on their graves by threatening to remove an Ijaw Monarch because of the Visit of Governor Dickson to the monarch over the death of his children”.

He reminded Wike that the traditional stool he desecrated through his public utterances was older than Rivers State adding that the Ijaw people were not subjects he could intimidate.

Kemepado said: “We want Governor Wike to note and abundantly so, that the traditional stools in Ijaw land are older than Rivers State where he is Governor and they should not be considered as subjects he can intimidate.

“Governor Wike should remember his own Ikwere tradition that prescribes respect for the elderly and traditional institutions, and should resist the temptation to overreach himself, but tame himself from being disrespectful and vulgar when addressing elders and traditional stools.

“Governor Wike should compensate the Ijaws with projects in Ijaw land because the Ijaws are the highest casualties in his bid to become Governor of Rivers State the second time.

“We call on Governor Wike to erect a memorial in honor of the Ijaw youths massacred for his sake and not insult Ijaw Monarchs. That until Wike apologises to the Ijaw Monarch he threatened and to all Ijaws, no Ijaw community and her people should take him and anything that comes from him serious”

The death of Eze Israel Kanu, father of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Mr Nnamdi Kanu, has been announced.

This is coming four months after his mother, Ugoeze Sally Kanu, also died.

Eze Kanu was the traditional ruler of Afara Ukwu Umuahia community till his death.

The traditional council of his community led by Edward Ibeabuchi has confirmed his death.

Eze Kanu has not been seen in the public since September 2017, after a detachment of soldiers raided his palace.

One of his sons, Emmanuel, also confirmed the demise of his father.

Reacting to the news, the Abia State commissioner for information, John Okiyi Kalu, described Kanu’s death as a huge loss to the state.

He said, “It was with rude shock that we learnt of the passing on of one of our great royal fathers, HRM Eze Sir I.O. Kanu, the Egwu Ukwu II of Afaraukwu Ibeku, at the age of 86 years.

“His unwavering love and sterling contributions to the development of his community in particular, and Abia State in general are well documented. No doubt, HRM left a lasting legacy and an indelible impression on the minds of Ndigbo everywhere in the world.

“Death is not the end of man but a necessary passage to a better place in eternity where there is no strife, sorrow or pain. Indeed, Papa has only gone to that better place.

“This should be our consolation so that his beloved family and the community he left behind do not continue to weep since we all know that he is resting peacefully now.

“As a government, we assure the family of late Eze Sir I.O. Kanu and Afaraukwu community of our continued support in all ways we can to help ameliorate the pains of his departure.”

Buhari punishing S’South, S’East with bad roads — IYC

IJAW Youth Council, IYC, has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of waging a political war against South-South and South-East regions with horribly bad roads.

President of IYC, Pereotubo Oweilami, in a statement, yesterday, said, “President Buhari despite spending four years in government is still treating some parts of the country below the belt. His policies and programmes are not for the benefit of the South-South and the South-East parts of the country.’

“It seems Buhari is still ruling this country along voters dichotomy. Just recently on Wednesday the 27th of November, 2019, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved the sum of N19b to construct roads in northern and western parts of the Country.

“Despite the deplorable states of the federal roads in the Niger Delta region, none was considered by FEC. East-West road, Warri-Benin road, Benin Asaba road amongst many others are now death traps to road users.

”In fact, movement from Warri to Benin federal highway has been cut off as the road is completely damaged. Similarly, the East-West road is no longer motorable as some portions of the road, especially from Bayelsa to Rivers State axis have been damaged.

“Regrettably, these are the only roads that connect the Niger Delta to other regions. Even the Minister of Works is paying lip service to our plight as commuters are undergoing excruciating pains and agonies in plying these roads.

Babatunde Fashola’s reference to the deplorable state of the Warri-Benin road as a mere media hype is an insult to the Niger Delta people.
“If the South-South or the Niger Delta region is part of Nigeria, then President Buhari, his Minister of Works, Raji Babatunde Fashola, SAN, and other top government functionaries should take a visit to the roads in the region from Cross River State down to Edo State and see things for themselves.

From the way and manner the present government implements its policies and programmes, it appears that Buhari did not see Niger Delta region as part of Nigeria.

‘The East-West road project which was awarded since 2006 by former President Olusegun Obasanjo has been completely abandoned by Buhari’s government. The present government has displayed an unmitigated hatred for the Niger Delta people, perhaps due to our political leaning in the past elections.

‘Niger Delta people cannot fold their arms and allow the government to use the resources from their land to develop other regions, while they watch with grimace faces. The present government should not by act or omission incite Nigerians against one another. You cannot claim to be propagating one Nigeria dream when some parts of the country are not feeling the dividends of democracy under your watch.

‘The ruling government should have a rethink of its policies and programmes. The President’s actions and body language are polarising this country along political-cum ethno-religious lines. He should be a uniting factor and not one that keeps Nigerians further divided.

“If Buhari kept on allowing this political apathy and alienations against Niger Delta people to fester, then we are afraid that the existing peace in the oil sector may not be sustained in the long run.

“The signs are just there, staring us in the face. Mr President should save this country from another economic crisis in the oil sector. Nigeria belongs to all of us. We all have equal rights to development if we must continue to live as united partners” he asserted.

It was earlier this year that Wike first declared Rivers a Christian state, a claim he repeated recently at a church event in Port Harcourt, the state capital. Combative as usual, he said, “I repeat the declaration with authority and I owe nobody an apology; Rivers is a Christian state”.

The governor did not explain whether he was referring to majority of the state’s residents being Christians or to recognising it as state religion. The latter is explicitly forbidden by the 1999 Constitution, while the context in which the statements were made negated his official position that demands neutrality and that he be a father to all residents of the South-South state.

The assertion should also be situated within the sectarian tensions that have wracked Nigeria for decades, resulting in mutual hostility and frequent blood spilling. Evidence of widespread sectarian suspicion surfaced in Rivers in August when a routine demolition of illegal structures led to rumours, later found to be unfounded, that a mosque was targeted. The 1999 Constitution is unambiguous, declaring in Section 10 that “The Government of the Federation or a State shall not adopt any Religion as State Religion”. At the same time, Section 38 reinforces the right of every Nigerian to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. The responsibility of the federal and state governments is to guarantee freedom of worship, including the right not to profess any faith.

Those tempted to cheer Wike today in response to having persistently suffered from exclusionary religious policies from other faiths should pause; two wrongs never make a right. Endorsing injustice today means accepting it later from other actors. Hypocrisy too has been on display; some groups in the North and Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano state, who have been recklessly promoting exclusionary religious policies too, rose to criticise Wike.

The Rivers provocation is however minor when placed alongside the travesty inflicted on Nigerians by successive federal administrations and many state governments. While the Federal Government continues to overtly promote two faiths – Islam and Christianity – to the exclusion of others, including spending large sums on funding pilgrimages, most state governments have spent scarce resources on religious activities, while poverty, insecurity and economic ruin pervade their territories. Twelve northern states have taken this impunity to the limit by introducing penal aspects of Islamic Sharia law, setting up religious vigilantes, segregating citizens and destroying consignments of alcoholic beverages, whose production, distribution and consumption are legitimate means of livelihood.

Intolerance, helped along by elite connivance, has taken a heavy toll on lives, property, the economy and national cohesion. The National Security Tracker, by the think tank, Council of Foreign Relations, recorded 2,037 deaths from sectarian and communal (that often assume sectarian hue) violence in 2018, up from 1,041 killed in 2017. It is a long-running trend, especially in the Northern states where religious intolerance and state partisanship are most brazen. The United States Council on International Religious Freedom said about 10,000 persons perished in attacks and reprisals between Muslims and Christians in the 10 years to 2008.

The World Atlas/World Facts resource defines a secular state as one where the state is kept separate from religion and state does not interfere in religious affairs so long as laws are adhered to. It identifies 96 secular states around the world. Researchers have found a convergence between stability, prosperity and states that actively practice and promote separation of religion and the state. It is no coincidence that the most stable countries ranked on the Fragile States Index 2019 like Finland, Norway, Switzerland and Denmark are decidedly secular states, while the most wretched like Yemen, Somalia and Afghanistan, are failed or failing states riven by violent religious factions and state promotion of religion. Once stable Syria and Iraq, whose respective Baathist parties promoted secular ideals, have since plunged into horrific civil wars made intractable by religious factions where state sectarianism takes centre stage.

Wisely, though their monarchs are, or were, also constitutionally, heads of the Church of England and Church of Norway (until 2017) respectively, the United Kingdom and Norway are scrupulously secular states. The 12 states that have been most unrestrained in promoting religion in Nigeria are also largely the most wretched. A joint report by the UNDP and National Bureau of Statistics ranked Sokoto, Jigawa and Yobe in 2017 as having the highest poverty incidence. The North-East has been laid low by Islamic terrorism for a decade. Though they divert scarce resources to religion, banditry, armed robbery, kidnapping and drug abuse, vices that were once higher in southern states, have rendered swathes of the northern states now inhospitable. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NBS and the Centre for Research and Information on Substance Abuse reported rising incidence of drug abuse in the northern states, including among women. Insecurity is rampant in Rivers, many youths jobless and infrastructure broken – these deserve Wike’s full attention. State immersion in religion guarantees neither peace nor morality.

There should be a change of focus by state governments to improving the lives of people. Ganduje, who has just unwisely created a ministry of religious affairs, should tackle poverty, drug abuse and rehabilitate the three million child beggars he once said roamed the streets. Wike needs to tame violence in Rivers, while all 36 states, to survive and mop up the millions of their unemployed youths, should devote all energy towards transforming into vibrant economic units.

Politicians should stop the cynical manipulation of religion for political ends, guarantee Nigeria’s secularity and forge an inclusive polity that accommodates and creates equal opportunities for all, irrespective of ethnic nationality or faith.