The President,
Federal Republic of Nigeria,
Aso Rock Villa,
Abuja
Mr President,
PETITION AGAINST NOMINATION OF OLATOKUNBO AYOTUNDE AJASIN AS A MEMBER REPRESENTING ONDO STATE ON THE BOARD OF NDDC
The attention of people of Ondo State, particularly the oil-producing communities of Ilaje and Ese-Odo Local Government Areas, have been drawn to the nomination of Olatokunbo Ayotunde Ajasin as a member-designate, representing Ondo State on the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
Your Excellency, hardly had the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, read the letter from your office than people of the state, particularly those from the oil-producing areas, started reacting against the nomination of Olatokunbo Ajasin as a wrong choice.
Mr President sir, we like to let you know that the said nomination is against the law. This is because the provision of the Niger Delta Development Commission (Establishment etc) Act 2000 does not support his nomination as a member of the NDDC. Section 2 (1b) of the NDDC Act stipulates that the board shall consist of:
“one person who shall be an indigene of an oil producing area to represent each of the nine oil producing states i.e. Abia, Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross-River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo, and Rivers”.
Though Ondo State is regarded as an oil-producing state, only two local government areas of the state, namely Ilaje and Ese-Odo fall within this sphere. Therefore, it will be unconstitutional to allow Olatokunbo Ajasin become a member of NDDC board.
Moreso Your Excellency, equity demands that someone from the oil producing areas should be nominated for the position, rather than an indigene of the state from far away Owo in the North Senatorial District of the state.
Since creation of the Commission, only indigenes of the state from the area have been nominated to represent the state on the board.
Therefore, as the Senator representing Ondo South Senatorial District, where the oil-producing area is located, I want to urge the President to order the withdrawal of the list and replace Olatokunbo Ajasin with an acceptable (APC) person from the oil-producing areas of Ilaje or Ese-Odo Local Government of Ondo State.
This, Your Excellency will douse tension and disquiet that the nomination of Olatokunbo Ayotunde Ajasin created and portray you as a man of integrity and a president who has a listening ear.
Thank you sir.
Signed
Senator Yele Omogunwa
Ondo South Senatorial District
