President Bola Tinubu has approved the immediate replacement of the NDDC’s Ondo State Representative nominee, Mr. Victor Akinjo, with a new nominee, Otito Atikase.
The change was announced by presidential spokesman Chief Ajuri Ngelale, following complaints by concerned members of the All Progressives Congress.
Party members in Ondo saw Akinjo’s nomination as a big slap on the face. He is a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, who was beaten by the APC candidate in the last election to represent Ilaje-Ese Odo constituency.
Besides, a viral video showed Akinjo mocking the then APC presidential candidate, Tinubu at a town hall meeting with supporters in June 2022.
Party members who felt outraged, made their feelings known in the social media and their complaints appeared to have reached President Tinubu himself.
Akinjo’s replacement Atikase is from the same oil producing Ilaje-Ese Odo local council. He was a former member of the House of Assembly and former chairman of the council.
President Tinubu has equally approved the immediate replacement of the NDDC’s Cross River State Representative nominee, Mr. Asi Oku Okang, with a new Cross River State Representative, Rt. Hon. Orok Otuk Duke.
Like Akinjo, Okang is also a member of the PDP, who fiercely campaigned against the APC. He was said to have been involved in the destruction of APC billboards and campaign materials.
Party members did not just verbally complained, they took their protest to the streets of Calabar, insisting Okang must be replaced.
There are still several other candidates on the slate of the NDDC board that the President still needed to jettison.
One of them is the executive director for finance, Boma Iyaye, an accountant and former Commissioner of Sports under Governor Nyesom Wike, who is now the FCT Minister. Iyaye remains a PDP member, who has now been handed the most important post in the commission, after the managing director.
Equally, the chairman designate for the board, Chiedu Ebie is also a PDP member, who was the secretary of the government to former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.
The statement by Ajuri Ngelale was silent on these controversial appointments.
It however indicated that the Managing Director / Chief Executive designate Dr. Samuel Ogbuku from Bayelsa, has been reappointed to a second term.
He will remain in acting capacity, pending the Senate’s confirmation of his reappointment, said Ngelale.