Delta Communities Join Lawsuit Against NDDC Chairman

Some communities in Delta State are set to join a suit seeking the removal of Mr Chiedu Ebie as chairman of the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

They want to join in a suit filed by some communities in Bayelsa State which asked the Federal High Court, Abuja, to nullify the appointment of Ebie as NDDC boss because he was wrongly appointed by President Bola Tinubu.

The plaintiffs said Ebie was not qualified to occupy the seat having not come from, “the oil-producing area with the highest quantum of oil production.”

The plaintiffs, Chief Goodnews Gereghewei, Chief Eddy Brayei and Mr Jonah Engineyouwei, who sued on behalf of themselves and Bisangbene, Agge and Amatu1 communities in Ekeremor local government area of Bayelsa State, had dragged Tinubu, The Senate president, attorney-general of the federation, NDDC and Ebie as 1st to 5th respondents respectively to the court over the appointment of the NDDC board chairman.

At the last sitting earlier in the month, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, fixed March 12, 2024, for hearing, after confirming service of the suit on all respondents.

However, some oil-producing communities in the Gbaramatu Kingdom in Delta State, have indicated that they will soon commence formal process to be joined as an interested party in the suit.

In a statement they issued the communities said the move is to register their displeasure over the way and manner President Tinubu appointed Ebie as the NDDC board chairman.

Mr Jerry Mulade-Aroh, who spoke on behalf of the host communities after a meeting in Warri, Delta State said, “We were extremely happy to find out that our neighbouring oil-producing communities in Bayelsa State have challenged the faulty process leading to the appointment of Ebie as the board chairman of NDDC in Federal High Court at Abuja.

“Mr. Chiedu Ebie hails from Agbor-Alidinma community in Ika South local government area, Delta State. It is imperative to state that Mr Eze, community, has no functional and producing oil wells that qualified him to be appointed as chairman in line with the NDDC Act 2000.

“We from the Delta oil-producing communities are interested parties in this matter, and we are set to file for joinder in that suit. And we shall always organise a protest to that effect in Abuja to draw the attention of Mr President and the general public particularly Niger Delta,” he said.

Also, Mr Jolomi Itsekure, who spoke on behalf of Itsekiri oil and gas producing communities in the state, described the appointment as an injustice, oppression, and a wrong precedent that should not be allowed to stand.

“Our rights and opportunities cannot be used as political compensation. Therefore, we call on Mr. President to withdraw his appointment and follow due process.

“Furthermore, we have qualified persons from the core oil producing communities who have the requisite qualification in line with the guidelines set out in the NDDC Act 2000 for such an executive appointment.”

Hon Friday Ugedi, a youth leader from Egbema Kingdom in Warri North LGA, asserted that, “This are some of the major reasons and causes of unrest in the region by imposing unqualified persons from non-oil and gas producing areas to govern us simply because we don’t have godfathers.”

 In the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/28/2024, dated and filed January 11, 2024, the plaintiffs are claiming that both President Tinubu and the National Assembly contravened the NDDC Act by screening and appointing Ebie Chiedu as NDDC Board Chairman.

They submitted that although the 5th defendant is from an oil producing state “ thus by the provisions of the law he is unqualified for appointment as the chairman of the 4th defendant’s board because he is not from the highest oil producing areas.”

In the affidavit deposed to in support of the suit, the plaintiffs averred that Ebie’s appointment “was done in error and is against the clear provisions of the law.