There are strong indications that Akwa Ibom State would demand that it should be fully represented on the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) when the tenure of the interim management committee expires, being the highest producer of crude oil in the country.
The former Managing Director of the commission, NsimaEkere who hails from Akwa Ibom State resigned his position to pursue his political ambition as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the March 16 election.
Speaking at his country home, Ita Enang, senior special assistant to the president on National Assembly matters (Senate), said though Akwa Ibom State would no longer be in contention for the post of managing director, having completed its tenure when Bassey Dan Abia and NsimaEkere held sway, Akwa Ibom would demand for other executive positions.
“Where we are now is to draw attention of the Federal Government to the fact that Akwa Ibom State cannot be left out. It is an interim thing though, we are going to take our position. We are not going to have the post of managing director again. We are not going to have chairman again; chairmanship had moved from us to BayelsaState and from Bayelsa to Cross River, because the chairmanship position rotates on alphabetical order. It has moved to Cross River State. It is now going to perhaps Delta State or so. Delta cannot have a chairman and have the managing director. We are going to demand for executive director finance. So, we will be contending for the post of executive director, finance and administration or executive director projects,” he said.
Enang, who spoke when APC stakeholders declared to support BasseyEtim, candidate of the party for Uyo senatorial district, said the people only reaffirmed their faith in an existing agreement in the area which seeks to ensure that no federal constituency in the senatorial district should serve more than two terms in the senate.
“The declaration is saying that Uyo senatorial district had taken a decision that no federal constituency should go to the Senate more than two terms. Etinan federal constituency through Senator Effiong Bob did two terms. Itu federal constituency has done two terms. I did one term and Senator Bassey Albert Akpan is doing the second term; he is completing the term I had started. The Senate seat moves to Uyo federal constituency to keep the agreement and the accord,” he said.
The presidential aide, who disclosed that if he had wanted the Senate ticket, he would have gone for it, said he had to honour the existing agreement in the senatorial district. According to him, he had also thought that it would be unwise to leave the job at the presidency at this time if he had decided to return to the Senate.
“I would have taken the senate ticket because it was in my hands. But I had to keep the agreement that everybody agreed to. I have also thought that it would be unwise to leave the job of the presidency at this time. The important thing is that it should move to Uyo federal constituency,” he said.
The candidate of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Bassey Albert Akpan who is seeking re-election is from Itu/Ibiono Ibom federal constituency while Etim who is contesting the Senate seat is from Uyo federal constituency.
ANIEFIOK UDONQUAK, Uyo
