Chinelo Obogo

The Summit of Urhobo Professionals, a non-political group, has accused a former Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Victor Ochei, of sponsoring a lawsuit against President Muhammadu Buhari, over the newly-constituted Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) board.

In a statement issued by the group’s president, Oghenerunor Kpobor, the body stated that the lawsuit which seeks to restrain President Buhari from reconstituting the board, and in the event that it fails to stop the Senate from screening and approving same, was filed before the Federal High Court, Asaba by one Chinonso Emmanuel Dumbili.

The group alleged that on the surface, the suit seemed to be targeted at the newly-appointed chairman of the NDDC board, Dr. Pius Odubu, over claims that a rotational principle was breached by his nomination but that it had been discovered that the real target was Bernard Okumagba, the managing director nominee.

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“While on the surface, this frivolous suit is targeted at the Chairman nominee of the board, former Edo State Deputy Governor, Pius Odubu, over claims that an alleged rotational principle was breached by his nomination, the real target is the Managing Director nominee, Bernard Okumagba, as well as the other members of the executive team whose powerful forces want to prevent from assuming office at all costs.

“Anyone with an even passing knowledge of politics of Delta North knows that Dumbili is a core political associate of Ochei and we maintain that he couldn’t have embarked on this without his principal’s active support and encouragement. It is quite intriguing that because of their selfish reasons, some highly-placed persons from the South- South are attacking the president over his just and equitable decision on the NDDC board. The board as presently constituted is a reflection of the broad consensus of the true political leaders of the zone within the All Progressives Congress (APC).

 “Frivolous suits like this are meant to use the court system to tie the hands of both the president and the Senate over this matter. But we assure them that they have failed and we are prepared to protest if push comes to shove. We will not accept this effrontery against President Buhari and the Niger Delta,” Kpobor said.