…As confusion prevails on which board to recognize
FOLUSHO ALADE,ABUJA
The Nigeria Senate on Thursday declared that it does not recognize the interim Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), and will only work with the members of the Board of the agency that were nominated and duly confirmed by the Senate pursuant to section 2(2a) of the Act establishing the commission.
The position of the Senate comes as a result of the perceived confusion on which of the board (interim or the yet-to-be inaugurated Board approved by the senate) the Senate will interface with in the defence of the Commission’s 2020 budget.
Briefing journalists in Abuja on Thursday, the Spokesman of the Senate, GODIYA AKWASHIKI declared that “there was no confusion” as the laws establishing the commission already explicitly made it clear on how the Board of the Commission can be constituted. He stated that both the Senate and President Muhammadu Buhari were law abiding and would not do anything that will infringe on the constitution of the federal Republic of Nigeria.
“There is no confusion in the NDDC, section 2 (2a) of the law establishing the NDDC says explicitly states that the Chairman and other members of the board, shall be appointed by the President, subject to the confirmation of the Senate in consultation with the House of Representatives.
“The president sent his nominees…And the senate has done the needful and justice to the nominees [by duly screening and confirming them in line with extant laws].”
Making further clarifications on how the budget of the commission will be scrutinized in line with the extant fiscal laws, SENATOR AKWASHIKI said that section 18(1) of the NDDC act also have taken care of the issue.
“Section 18 (1) of the act establishing the NDDC empowers the President or the Board through the President to submit to the National Assembly estimate of proposal for their fiscal year to the National Assembly.
“And this is why the President of the Senate at plenary today directed the Senate Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission to interface with the board approved by the senate and subsequently revert to the senate,” SENATOR AKWASHIKI clarified.
