Senate Receives Buhari’s Nominees For NDDC Board, Justice Kanyip For National Industrial Court

…Adjourns plenary to November 5

BY VICTOR BUORO, ABUJA – The Senate on Tuesday received a request from President Muhammadu Buhari for the confirmation of sixteen nominees for the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The presidential request was contained in a letter dated October 18, 2019 and addressed to the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan.

The letter reads: “In accordance with the provision of Section 2(2)(a) of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Establishment Act, 2000, I write to forward for confirmation by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the under listed nominees for appointment into the NDDC board, to occupy the positions indicated against their names. The nominees CVs are attached herewith.”

The nominees for confirmation are: Dr. Pius Odubu (Edo), Chairman; Bernard Okumagba (Delta), Managing Director; Engr. Otobong Ndem (Akwa-Ibom), Executive Director (Projects); Maxwell Oko (Bayelsa), Executive Director, Finance and Admin; Jones Erue (Delta); Chief Victor Ekhator (Edo), and Dr. Joy Yimebe Nunieh (Rivers).

Others include Nwogu N. Nwogu (Abia), Theordore Allison (Bayelsa), Victor Antai (Akwa-Ibom), Maurice Effiwatt (Cross River), Olugbenga Edema (Ondo), Hon. Uchegbu Chidiebere Kyrian (Imo), Aisha Murtala Muhammed (Kano), Shuaibu Ardo Zubairu (Adamawa), and Ambassador Abdullahi Bage (Nasarawa).

The Senate also received another request from President Buhari for the confirmation of the appointment of Justice Benedict Bakwaph Kanyip as the President of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria.

President Buhari’s letter reads; “Pursuant to Section 254B(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), I hereby write to request for confirmation by the Senate, the appointment of Honourable Justice Benedict Bakwaph Kanyip as the President of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria.”

Similarly, the Senate also received a request from President Buhari for the confirmation of the appointment of Honourable Justice J. T. Tosho as the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court of Nigeria.

According to the letter dated October 28, 2019 and read at plenary by the Senate President, President Buhari’s request was predicated on Section 250(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).

Also billed for confirmation are three nominees for appointment as State Resident Electoral Commissioners for the Independent National Electoral commission (INEC).

The President’s request which was contained in a letter dated October 28, 2019, reads “pursuant to paragraph 14(3) of Part I of the Third Schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), I hereby write to request for confirmation by the Senate, the appointment of the three nominees as Resident Electoral Commissioners of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The nominees are: Umar Mukhtar Gajiram (Borno), Dr. Alalibo Sinikiem Johnson (Bayelsa) and Raheem Muideen Olalekan (Osun).

The confirmation requests were referred by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, to the Senate Committees on NDDC; Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, and Independent National Electoral Commission, respectively.

 On resumption of plenary on Tuesday, the Senate President announced that the Senate would adjourn again for one week and resume on Tuesday, 5th November, 2019.

Lawan explained that the adjournment by the upper chamber is to enable committees defend the respective budget estimates before the Senate Committee on Appropriation.