Jubilation in Cross River Over Ndoma-Egba’s Appointment as NDDC Chairman

Bassey Inyang in Calabar

There was jubilation in Cross River State on Thursday when news filtered into the nooks and crannies of the state that the former Leader of the Senate, Victor Ndoma-Egba, has been nominated to chair the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Buhari had nominated Ndoma-Egba to serve as chairman, and former deputy governor of Akwa Ibom State,Mr.Nsima Ekere, was nominated to serve as Managing Director of the NDDC.

In Ikom where he hails from, youths in their hundreds trooped to the streets in jubilation over the appointment of Ndoma-Egba, their political leader, whom many said has done a lot for the people.

The youths who marched through major streets in Ikom town expressed gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari, for appointing Ndoma-Egba to the position.

Bearing green leafs,drums and other sound producing instruments, the youth sang and danced for hours as they staged their street procession in the small commercial town.

Leader of the youths,Prince Ayuk Ojong said they were out in the street to celebrate the appointment of the former senate leader to the NDDC.

Speaking on the import of the march, the youth leader said:”We are celebrating and thanking the President Muhammadu Buhari for nominating Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba,our leader to the NDDC.

“The appointment is coming at the right time when the Niger Delta region needs serious infrastructural development .I can tell you that as a senator, Ndoma-Egba attracted not less that seventy-four projects to the state, including the best road in the state,the Trans-African Highway, starting in Cameroon border to Enugu.”

In Calabar, the state capital,his nomination dominated the discuss in public,especially in government and political circles.

Commenting on the appointment,a lawyer,public analyst and anti-corruption crusader, chief Utum Eteng, said:” think the appointment of Senator Ndoma-Egba as chairman of NDDC is a welcome development. It shows that Buhari has ears to the ground and he is a strategist. Ndoma-Egba is highly rated in the south-south region and in Nigeria as a whole having been the leader of south-south caucus in the senate as well as the senate leader, he has all it takes.

“He is going to do the service of the President to the people of the south-south zone. With the appointments, Mr. President has shown that he is prepared to carry everybody along including the minorities of the country. The South-south has always fared better when we have a northern president. So, what is happening to the South-south, Cross River State inclusive, is a welcome development. The people of Cross River State are implored to reciprocate Mr. President having actually given appointments to the people of the state.”

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