The Senate on Tuesday confirmed the Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on new Media, Mrs Lauretta Onochie as the Chairman, board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
The Red Chamber confirmed appointments of 13 out of the 15 Presidential nominees for the Board sent by President Muhammadu Buhari, just as the Upper Chamber has demanded for forensic report carried out on the commission by the Presidency.
Also confirmed by the Senate was Chief Samuel Ogbuku for the position of Managing Director for a term of two years, to complete the unexpired term of his predecessor in office.
Major- General Charles Airhiavbere, retd from Edo State, South -South, was confirmed for the position of Executive Director, Finance and Charles Ogunmola, Ondo State, South West was confirmed for the position of Executive Director, Projects.
The Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Niger Delta had last Thursday, screened Onochie alongside 13 others for the NDDC board roles.
President Muhammadu Buhari had written to the Senate requesting it to confirm the appointment of the Chairman and Members of the commission’s board in accordance with the provisions of section 2(2)(a) of the NDDC (Establishment) Act.
This was the second time Buhari forwarded a list of nominees for the NDDC board for confirmation. He sent the first list of nominees for the board in 2021 and the Senate screened and confirmed the nominees.
However, Senate President Ahmad Lawan explained that the President’s decision to send another list of nominees for confirmation was because there was a flaw in the previous compilation.
Mrs. Onochie’s nomination had been resisted by some committee members on the grounds that she is not from an oil-producing community in Delta State where she hails from, which is against the NDDC Act, preventing her from chairing the commission.