Our attention has been drawn to a statement credited to Ugbo United Front, issued by one Dr. Simion Ebijimi condemning recommendation of representatives from Ondo State in the Board of NDDC.
While we are aligning our solidarity supports for the recommendations, we are stating categorically that every Ilaje person home and abroad should desist from act capable of causing disunity among Ilaje land.
For the records purposes, there have been no any legal objection discriminating any Ilaje person from ascending position in the NDDC as at now.
In 2017 Olugbenga Edema had occupied position of Chairman of the nearest board of OSOPADEC mandated with responsibilities of oil production in the state, he served completed four years term without discrimination.
Therefore, the statement by the said Dr. Ebijimi is null and void, ultra vire that is only seeking attention.
Every Ilaje person is being treated same rights and accorded with necessary respect to whatsoever position, hence we have no doubts in Dr. Wunmi Ilawole dealings.
Reacting to the Developmental changes, The Publicity Secretary of Ilaje Leadership Forum (Citizens Security Council) Prince Emorioloye Owolemi commends the Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu over his stance in the state, especially in the areas of security of lives and properties, and reassured Mr Governor of the group collaboration with the state in the ongoing war against criminal activities.
Prince Emorioloye noted that since the inception of NDDC, Ondo State has been deprived of its mandated constitutional rights to produce Executives position contrary to the act that establishes NDDC Board that pointed out loud and clear that the Executives position be rotated among member states. While other states have been rotated, when it was the turn of Ondo State, it was denied to the extent that other states who had held Executives position persistently rotated it among themselves without regards to the act.
Until now Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu made his stance known and always spoke in accordance with the acts to right every wrong.
We shall as well be thankful to the President Mohammadu Buhari led Administration who has come to strengthen and restructure the NDDC Board for the betterment of Niger Delta Region and Nigeria.
Though it takes the country so long to constitute the NDDC Board which is contrary to the acts over forensic Audit, nevertheless, delay is not denial.
We specifically lauded the Akeredolu Government for finding worthy and penciled an illustrious son of the region, Barrister Olugbenga Edema for such position of MD.
We have our confidence in him that he will surely deliver because he is always described as someone who has contributed in no small measure towards the peace, unity and development of the region when he served as OSOPADEC Chairman between 2017 to 2021.
Edema has never hidden his detest for illegality, rivers, killing of lives and degrading of our environment in the Niger Delta region, with pretense.
The man has paid his dues, in terms of defending the integrity of the APC, his environment, and speaking truth to power to advance the course of his people. He has resolved intractable inter and intra conflict across communities, state and in the mandate areas, thereby leading to the enthronement of sustainable one accord in the mandate areas.
We have no doubt about Edema's competence, capacity, reach and coordinates to deliver on the mandate and term of reference giving him. As a leader, he has all it takes to effectively manage men and resources to drastically reduce the unemployment rate in the region to its barest minimum and save the government the huge losses in contracts awarded to contractors through the Board.
We called on the federal government to align with the NDDC Act as a guidance for the other states entitled to Executives position and the board itself for its mandated period of services to allow denial's free, hence encouraging the next state after expiration of the service term.
