NDDC Screening: Senate Committee asks Orok Duke to ‘take a bow’

...As Sen. Gershom Bassey noted that he's eminently qualified Rt. Hon. Orok Duke, who have served two terms Deputy Speaker of Cross River State House of Assembly has been cleared by the Nigeria Senate as board member of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). The enterprising lawmaker was nominated recently by President Muhammadu Buhari to represent Cross River at the board. Recall that the Senate on Tuesday, 13th December 2022 referred to its Committee on Niger Delta Affairs, the request of President Muhammadu Buhari urging it to screen for confirmation, the appointment of the chairman, managing director, executive directors and members of the board of NDDC. The Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, asked the committee to carry out the screening exercise and submit its report on Tuesday next week for deliberation and consideration. At the screening session of Duke and other nominees on Thursday, a member of the Committee representating Southern Senatorial District of Cross River State Sen. Gershom Bassey, described the nominee for Cross River as someone who is responsible and has the best interest of his people at heart. According to Sen. Bassey, “I expect that we would consider extending the privileges of this house to him, having been a two-time deputy speaker and having been a four-time member of the House of Assembly; he’s eminently qualified for this work. He’s somebody that is responsible. He’s somebody that has the best interest of his people at heart. I think those are the predominant. And of course he has educational qualifications. “I think having the interest of your people at heart is the primary consideration for the NDDC board. This man qualifies for that so I want to recommend very strongly to you Mr Chairman that he be allowed to take a bow and go.” The Senator Bulus Amos-led Committee concurred with the submission of Senator Gershom and therefore cleared Rt. Hon. Orok Duke for appointment. Other members of the NDDC board nominated for appointment are Mr. Dimgba Erugba, representing Abia State; Dr. Emem Willcox Wills (Akwa Ibom); Mr. Denyanbofa Dimaro (Bayelsa State); Dr. Pius Odudu (Edo State); Mr. Anthony Ekenne, (Imo State); Hon. Gbenga Edema, (Ondo State); Mr. Elekwachi Dimkpa (Rivers State); Mr. Mohammed Kabir Abubakar, (Nasarawa State), representing North-central zone; Mr. Sadiq Sami Sule-Ikoh (Kebbi State) for North-west and Prof. Tahir Mamman (SAN), from Adamawa State for North-east. The President also nominated Ms. Lauretta Ifeanyi-Onochie as the substantive Chairman of the board of the NDDC; Mr. Samuel Ogbokwu from Bayelsa State as the Managing Director, while Major-General Charles Airhiavbere (rtd) from Edo State as executive director for Finance) and Mr. Charles Ogunmola from Ondo State as the executive director for Projects.