Communities to join suit seeking removal of NDDC board chair

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

Some communities in Delta State have indicated interest to join in a suit seeking the removal of Mr Chiedu Ebie as Chairman of the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
It could be recall that some communities in Bayelsa State had asked a Federal High Court in Abuja, to nullify the appointment of Mr Chiedu Ebie as NDDC boss, on the grounds that he was wrongly appointed by President Bola Tinubu.
According to the plaintiffs, Ebie was not qualified to occupy the seat of Board Chairman haven not come from, “the oil producing area with the highest quantum of oil production”.
The plaintiffs, Chief Goodnews Gereghewei, Chief Eddy Brayei and Mr Jonah Engineyouwei, who sued on behalf of themselves and Bisangbene, Agge and Amatu1 communities in Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, had dragged President Tinubu, Senate President, Attorney-General of the Federation, NDDC and Ebie as 1st to 5th respondents respectively to court over the appointment of the NDDC board chairman.
At the last sitting earlier in the month, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik fixed March 12, for hearing, after confirming service of the suit on all respondents.
However, some oil producing communities in the Gbaramatu Kingdom in Delta State, have indicated that they will soon commence formal process to be joined as an interested party in the suit.
In a statement over the weekend, the communities said the move is to register their displeasure over the way and manner in which President Bola Ahmed Tinubu appointed Mr. Chiedu Ebie as the NDDC Board Chairman.
Mr Jerry Mulade-Aroh, who spoke on behalf of Host Communities after a meeting in Warri, Delta State said, “we were extremely happy to find out that our neighbouring Oil producing communities in Bayelsa State has challenged the faulty process leading to the appointment of Mr. Chiedu Ebie as the Board Chairman of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in Federal High Court at Abuja.
“Mr. Chiedu Ebie hails from Agbor-Alidinma Community in Ika South Local Government area, Delta State. It is imperative to state that Mr Chiedu, community, has no functional and producing oil wells that qualified him to be appointed as Chairman in line with the NDDC act 2000.”