Jonathan appoints Roli Bode-George as NDLEA DG

By Etuka Sunday

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday appointed Mrs. Roli Bode-George as the Director-General of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

Mrs Bode-George takes over from Mr. Olufemi Ajayi, who is now the Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF).

A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati, said the appointment was with immediate effect.

It would recall that Jonathan on Wednesday sacked the PTDF ES, Dr. Oluwole Oluleye and replaced him with Mr. Ajayi, who was the NDLEA DG, leaving the post vacant.

In 2011, the Senate confirmed the appointment of the new chairman and members of the National Population Commission, including Roli Bode-George, who was cleared for the appointment against the wish of some senators.

Roli, 48, is the wife of Bode George, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), who spent time in jail after being convicted on charges of corruption. He was however discharged and acquitted by the Supreme Court late last year.

Roli was nominated for the appointment by Jonathan, as a member of the NPC in disregard of the position of the Lagos state governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola on the issue.

Following her nomination in October, 2011 Senators representing Lagos state, and three other persons, petitioned the Senate against clearing her for the job.

However, after its screening, the Senate Committee on National Identity and National Population Commission recommended that she should be cleared for the job.

Her confirmation stirred controversy during the Senate’s plenary session, but she was confirmed. It was a slim win for Roli, but the Lagos state senators-visibly enraged-said they will ensure her removal from the position.

That notwithstanding, the opposition is too few to make a difference in votes against the majority members of the PDP.