By Innocent Anaba

lagos—Lawyer and activist, Mr. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, has said that President Muhammadu Buhari acted in error in his dissolution of the board of the Niger-Delta Development Commission, NDDC. In a statement, yesterday, in Lagos, Adegboruwa, said: “On December 16, 2013, the Federal Government inaugurated the 4th Governing Board of the NDDC, after  members of the said Board had been thoroughly screened by security agents and were all cleared and confirmed by the two Chambers of the National Assembly. The appointment was for a four year tenure, to end on December 15, 2017.

Buhari

“Under and by virtue of section 3 of the NDDC Establishment Act, “… a member of the Board, other than an ex-officio member, shall hold office for a term of four years at the first instance and may be re-appointed for a further term of four years and no more.

“The NDDC Establishment Act makes no provision for the removal of the Commission’s Board members before the expiration of the four year tenure, except the member resigns, is of unsound mind, is convicted by a court or is disciplined by his professional association or is found guilty of misconduct.

None of these is applicable in this case. Consequently, the dissolution of the NDDC Governing Board is illegal and violates the clear provisions of section 5 of the NDDC Act.

“It is important to state that the NDDC Governing Board is in the same category of those agencies established under section 153 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, whose tenure enjoy statutory flavour. It cannot be dissolved by a general circular, without complying with the provisions of the enabling Act.”

“Consequently, we appeal to the President, to examine the facts as they affect the NDDC and graciously direct the immediate re-instatement of the Commission’s Board, as he has done with the boards of other agencies referred to above.”