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Inaugurate Senate Screened NDDC Board, Ex-Militant Leader Tells Buhari
An ex-militant leader, Eshanekpe Israel, a.k.a. Akpodoro has called on President Muhammadu Buhari, to as a matter of urgency inaugurate the Pius Odubu and Bernard Okumagba-led board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), to forestall violent reactions in the oil-rich region.
Akpodoro, who is an avowed supporter of the President, noted that his administration has made achievements in many areas of the economy and security but shouldn’t throw the region into chaos as a result of what he described as Mr Buhari’s tardiness at inaugurating the statutorily screened board members of the intervention agency having received the report of the much-awaited forensic audit of the commission since inception.
The appeal, according to the Urhobo-born former warlord, became necessary due to the need to calm frail nerves and to also sustain the popularity of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the region saying, to do otherwise is to create bad blood among the APC family.
It would be recalled that the President in the wake of his order for a forensic audit to be carried out in the commission had appointed Akwa-led committee to midwife the agency through the process until the report is submitted to the Federal Government and the forensic audit had reportedly been submitted to the President.
At the backdrop of the submission of the report, Akpodoro, who doubles as the coordinator of the National Coalition of Niger Delta Ex-Agitators (NCNDE-A) maintained that the submission of the audit report should pave the way for the President to inaugurate the screened board without further delay to birth a new agency that will take the region to a ‘superlative height.’
The NDDC owe it a duty to develop human and material resources in the region, particularly the empowerment of the youth population, a process he noted can only be possible with the screened board, who he said are time-tested technocrats whose hallmarks have been hard work and honesty.
A major player in the disarmament of the militants shortly after the Presidential Amnesty was declared in 2009, Akpodoro said if delayed further, the President would be likened to a man who destroyed his own structure by himself, stressing that, the current administration has been able to earn the confidence of the people over time in his seeming developmental strides but should add the inauguration of Okumagba board to consolidate the process.
The people of the region, Akpodoro noted, need a functional intervention agency like the NDDC, stressing that having received the report of the auditors, it is time to set the commission on the path of regional growth and development.
Odubu and Okumagba board, when inaugurated he said, will hit the ground running to ensure that the regional agency is removed from the woods of past maladministration and dearth of progress occasioned by poor infrastructural development in the region.
The auditors, he said, must have seen through all the causes of backwardness in the region owing to the failure of the agency to address the core concerns, saying the new board will be ready to file all the rough edges and set the commission in the right direction.
He called on the youths in the region to show more understanding and support for the administration while the nation awaits the inauguration of the screened board.
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The Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has directed his lawyers to withdraw all ongoing defamation lawsuits against several individuals, saying he was moved by counsel during a New Year Mass.
Speaking at the Sacred Heart Parish in Uyo, yesterday, Akpabio said he had filed nearly nine lawsuits against individuals he accused of defaming him.
He said, “I had almost nine cases in court against some individuals who defamed me, who lied against me, who slandered my name.
“But I listened to the priest and suddenly realised he was talking to me, so I hereby direct my solicitor to withdraw all lawsuits against them.”
In 2025, Akpabio had filed several high-profile defamation lawsuits, including one against colleague Senator Natasha Akpoti?Uduaghan.
In late 2025, Akpabio filed a N200 billion defamation lawsuit against her over allegations of sexual harassment, which he denied and urged her to substantiate in court.
Earlier in the year, Akpabio’s wife also filed defamation suits against Akpoti?Uduaghan over claims she said had harmed her family’s reputation.
Relations between the two lawmakers soured after Akpoti?Uduaghan accused Akpabio of influencing her suspension from the Senate in March 2025, following her public allegations of misconduct.
The Senator had previously challenged actions taken against her in court, including a N100 billion defamation suit she filed against Akpabio and other defendants over alleged remarks that she said damaged her reputation.
With yesterday’s announcement, Akpabio has formally ended all pending legal disputes arising from defamation claims, signalling closure to the publicised litigations as the year begins.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has declared that the best form of gratitude Rivers people owe President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for protecting the interest of the State is to galvanize massive support for the President in 2027.
Fubara disclosed this last Monday during the commissioning of Permanent Secretaries Quarters built by his administration at Elimgbu in Obio Akpor Local Government Area of the State.
He said that the State has what it takes to deliver the President during the 2027 general elections.
“We’ve taken a decision,our decision is for the good of Rivers State, our decision is to say thank you for the protection we have from Mr President, our decision is to prove that we have what it takes to deliver Mr President.”
Fubara expressed delight over the completion of the project, stating that the initiative was to provide accommodation, a basic need of life for public servants in the state to improve their productivity.
He explained that lack of effective social welfare was at the root of some incriminating actions that undermine the purpose of governance, noting that the commissioning of the newly built Permanent Secretaries Quarters marks a significant milestone in civil service welfare and institutional development.
“Insecurity begins when individuals are uncertain of what the next hour holds. This situation is especially challenging for family men and women, affecting confidence and decision-making,” he observed.
Fubara emphasized the need for proper maintenance of the facility and urged the beneficiaries to protect the project like a personal property, while directing the State Head of Service to appoint a facility manager to ensure long-term maintenance.
In her remarks, the Special Guest of Honour and Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, who unveiled the project, expressed appreciation to the governor and Rivers State for inviting her to commission the project.
She commended Fubara for prioritizing the welfare of Permanent Secretaries who are senior public servants and accounting officers, noting that the project reflects purposeful and visionary leadership, and urged other states to borrow a cue from the Rivers State Governor.
Walson-Jack described the initiative as a strategic investment in staff welfare and institutional continuity which she noted is in line with Renewed Hope Initiative on provision of mass housing and social stability.
“The commissioning of these houses reflect a deliberate commitment to the dignity, welfare, and productivity of senior public servants responsible for policy coordination and service delivery,” she said.
In his goodwill message, the National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ajibode Bashiru, who led a high powered delegation on a visit to the governor, congratulated Rivers people for aligning with the Pan Nigerian political party, assuring that the interest of Rivers State will be duly protected in the APC.
He described President Bola Tinubu as a detribalised Nigerian who anchors his leadership on equity, fairness and justice, adding that the APC will provide a level playing ground for all.
The APC chief scribe also commended Fubara for providing good accommodation for public servants, stating that it will address issues of sabotage, compromise and disloyalty on the part of public servants.
Giving the project description, Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Works, Dr. Austin Ezekiel-Hart, said the estate comprises 29 units, including nine standalone duplexes and 20 terrace buildings.
Facilities feature a water treatment plant, synchronized power generators, CCTV and alarm systems, a gym, recreational areas, and green spaces—designed to enhance comfort, performance, and productivity.
Earlier, the Head of the Rivers State Civil Service, Dr Mrs Inyingi Brown, had thanked the governor for his visionary initiative and unwavering commitment to the welfare of Rivers State Civil Servants, and restated the commitment of the State civil servants to the success of Fubara’s administration.
By: Taneh Beemene
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