NDDC Crisis: Ogbuku, Onochie Power Play

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) is currently embroiled in a heated crisis between its Managing Director, Samuel Ogbuku, and the Chairman of the agency’s board, Lauretta Onochie. Ogbuku has been resorting to various means, including a controversial court ruling, to undermine Onochie’s authority and evade accountability.

Ogbuku has enlisted the support of influential individuals within the corridors of power to push his peculiar agenda, which involves misinterpreting the NDDC Act to justify his avoidance of transparency and due process.

While his mission appears clear, the underlying motives have been shrouded in mystery. The public has been left to piece together the puzzle from public statements and the recent dramatic confrontation between one of Ogbuku’s surrogates and the chairman during a Senate committee hearing.

However, inside sources have now leaked the precise moment when Ogbuku declared an all-out war against Onochie. Previous attempts to cozy up to her as a subservient figure failed, leading Ogbuku to resort to unconventional tactics, including under-the-table deals within the agency.

According to sources who have received direct complaints from Ogbuku himself, the conflict revolves around a clash of intent and vision regarding the NDDC’s operational objectives and what it should offer its appointed leaders and managers.

Ogbuku perceives the agency as a “hustling ground” where officials line their pockets, ensuring their families remain affluent for generations. On the other hand, Lauretta Onochie believes the agency should be recalibrated to prioritize the greatest good for the greatest number in the Niger Delta, particularly the impoverished youth.

In essence, Ogbuku embodies the common mentality of personal gain, while Onochie strives to make history as a true reformer who cleanses the NDDC and ensures its adherence to its legal purpose.

This diverging vision created friction when Ogbuku organized a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Summit in Lagos. The choice of Lagos as the venue, instead of any of the Niger Delta states, raised eyebrows among observers. Moreover, the presentation of a bill costing over a billion naira without obtaining the necessary approval from Onochie further fueled the controversy.

Onochie promptly demanded justification from Ogbuku, as the agency’s chairman, for undertaking such a costly project with undefined objectives while failing to pay workers’ allowances for months. Ogbuku’s response was evasive, as he avoided providing a written explanation and instead attempted to charm Onochie through personal meetings.

In an audacious move, Ogbuku argued that he and Onochie were not bound by public service rules and dismissed due process, probity, and accountability. He labeled the NDDC a “hustling ground” and suggested that Onochie should embrace silence to receive kickbacks at the end of every deal, including the outrageously priced summit.

When his persuasive tactics failed, Ogbuku switched gears and launched an all-out war against Onochie. He sought support within the Villa (Presidential Villa) to distort the interpretation of the NDDC Act, claiming that the board chairman has no authority over the agency’s operations, including project execution and financial management.

Ogbuku even boasted that everyone has a price tag. As part of his efforts, he allegedly sponsored a court ruling that restricted the chairman from interfering with his duties, and ex-militants issued threats to intimidate Onochie. It is worth noting that Ogbuku has a history of financial scandal, being implicated in a N19 billion fraud case in 2012 and facing charges related to murder.