Falan, while explaining that such Interim Committee was unknown to the Act of Parliament that established Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC Act), threatened that Federal Government may soon be subjected to litigation if it doesn’t stop successive appointments of the Interim Management Committee for Niger Delta Development Commission.
Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government has so far appointed five successive interim management committees for the Niger Delta Development Commission in a space of one year, making an alibi of large-scale corruption and corrupt practices within the rank and file of the Development Commission dedicated for the development of oil-rich Niger Delta region of the country.
Speaking at a lecture held in Akure, Ondo state, one of the states that make up Niger Delta region, to mark third year Anniversary of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu on Thursday, Falana also challenged the Nigeria Governors’ Forum to be prepared to fight a legal battle against over concentration of monthly allocations in Abuja and senseless privatisation of critical public utilities and corporations.
“We have invested so much in the energy sector and power but today we are suffering. Where are we today? Our government have sold generated companies and a Minister under former President Goodluck Jonathan administration said we sold them to our friends and thereafter we start having problems”, he said.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria said that the major cause of the abject poverty and underdevelopment in Nigeria is the privatization of the public corporations and industries meant to offer essential services for the populace and provide employment opportunities for the youths and once the ugly trend were not reversed, then Nigeria may be faced with more underdevelopment
According to him, some governors do go to Abuja every month just to share the allocation without using the money to develop their states, but exonerated Governor Akeredolu, saying the governor has made a positive impact in Ondo state and across all the sectors for the people of the state.
While commending the giant strides of Governor Akeredolu for the past three years, Falana appealed to the people of Ondo state to allow and support him to win re-election to enable his administration continue giant strides.
The Senator Advocate of Nigeria noted that one of the reasons for the people to support Akeredolu’s second term was because he had done well in the areas of physical development like construction of roads, payment of accumulated salaries and pension arrears, among others.
He said, “When Governor Akeredolu came on board, Ondo state was indebted to the tune of N4billion. Hence, the state could not access fund for UBEC. When the Governor came on board, that was one of the things I reminded him about. I’m happy today that he has cleared everything.”
In his short address, the Chairman of the occasion also the Chairman, Progressive Governors Forum, Governor Abubakar Bagudu, who described Governor Akeredolu as a forthright person, said Governors of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) will soon implement the recommendations of Governor Nasir el-Rufai Committee on True Federalism.
Bagudu alongside Akeredolu said, the Progressive Governors Forum are very committed to implementing the report.
Governor Bagudu also commended Governor Akeredolu saying, “Oluwarotimi Akeredolu will not give excuses but will make do with the little to transform his state. So, I wasn’t surprised when Mr. President commended his investment stride.
“Ondo State is lucky to have him as a governor. We are proud of him. On behalf of the Progressive Governors Forum, I say to Ondo State that you have a forthright person who speaks his mind at all times.”
