Concerned Itsekiri in the All Progressives Party , APC have called on the Federal Government and the Nigerian Senate particularly the Senate Committee on Ethics and privileges to halt the screening and consequence confirmation of Engr. Sam Ajanekevwe from the Urhobo ethnic nationality of Delta State as the Executive Director(Projects) on the proposed board of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC .
Addressing a press conference in Warri, Robinson Ariyo,a legal practitioner who was also the All Progressives Party, APC candidate into the Delta State House of Assembly in the 2015 general elections, said, the nomination of Engr. Sam Ajanekevwe did not follow process because the 4 year tenure of Tuoyo Omatsuli an Itsekiri which was truncated ought to have been completed another person for the same Itsekiri ethnic nationality in line with the NDDC act and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Section 5 (2); 14 (3&4).
He said the act states that when a person from a particular tribe is unable to complete a 4 year tenure, the vacant position should be replaced by a person with the same interest to continue the tenure insisting that, filling the vacant position with a person with another interest, is violating the law.
Explaining further, Ariyo said, “due to the multi ethnic nature of Delta State, a legal framework was put in place to ensure that no one ethnic group shortchanges the other. There has always been a precedence when the board of NDDC is abruptly brough to an end.”
“When Engr.Godwin Omene(Urhobo) could not complete his 4 year tenure as Managing Director of the Board, Senator Emmanuel Agwariavwodo an Urhobo, was made to replace him., when Elder P.Z Aginighan(Ijaw) could not complete his 4 year tenure as Executive Director ( Finance and Administration) another Ijaw man Lambert Kumboye completed it; Elder Emmanuel Ogidi (Isoko) could not complete his 4 year tenure as commissioner, his brother Solomon Ogba completed it.”
According to the legal practitioner, he was approached by three (3) engineers of Itsekiri ethnic extraction all who are qualified and bidded for the vacant position, they are Engr. Sunny Demi Ejegi; Engr .Victor Toju Afinotan; Engr. George Nami who are the plaintiffs in yhe suit alongside the Chairman of Warri South West APC ,Felix Ighomiyetan and one of the leaders of Warri North APC, Hon.David Odeli who was also present at the briefing.
He said because of their belief in th rule of law and not the rule of force a suit with number FHC/ABJ/CS/700/2016 seeking to stop the screening and confirmation of Engr. Sam Ajanekevwe has already been filed at an Abuja High Court adding that they have been called “ethnic chauvinists” for standing for what is right. Referring to a publication of the Vanguard Newspaper of October 4, 2003 where a group of Urhobos under the aegis of Niger Delta Forum fought a similar fight and succeeded.
