National coordinator of Niger Delta Scholars (NDS), Chief Monday Keme has lambasted the Delta state house of assembly over its recent amended laws of 2015 by empowering the governor of the state to request for a one year tenure elongation for the board and also amended expiration of office to three years single term. He described the Delta assembly a disgrace and accused the Delta state governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa of insensitivity and open hatred of the riverine people in the state.
Chief Keme made this disclosure today in a press statement made available to Daily Watch in Warri today, said, ‘‘ The attention of Niger Delta Scholars has been drawn to a purported amendment to the DESOPADEC law 2015 wherein the Delta State House of Assembly amended section five which talks about three years single term and introduction of new section which empowers the Governor through request to the State House of Assembly to extent the tenure by one year.
‘‘It will be recalled that the DESOPADEC principal law 2007 was amended by the Okowa led Government in August 2015 where the Governor introduced the office of Managing Director (MD) and four Directors and made ethnic nationality representatives on part time basis. Also, Delta State House of Assembly under Hon. Monday Igbuya amended the principal law 2007 in a manner that left us with no option than to comclude that the present House of Assembly is a “mere rubber stamp”. Nominees were forwarded to the House on same day the 18th of August, 2015 the Governor signed the law. Three days later, all the nominees were asked to take a bow and leave’’ he stated..
He said further, ‘‘The State Assembly under Hon. Sheriff Oboriwhore as done the worst by violating all known legislative processes where an amendment to the DESOPADEC law 2015 was done less than five minutes. In their desperate move, all the house rules were suspended to amend the law. Niger Delta Scholars is at lost how a responsible House of Assembly will amend a law in the manner they did.
‘‘The Delta State House of Assembly is a disgrace to Delta State, especially the useless law makers from oil producing areas who never have the people at heart, but how they will get return ticket to the House for doing nothing.
‘‘His Excellency, the Governor of Delta State as once demonstrated his hatred for the riverine people that he has deliberately excluded from development. It is the desire of the Governor to suffocate the Ijaw ethnic nation in particular or how do one explain the flagrant disregard to the amended section which says that no ethnic group shall succeed itself. In 2011 Mr. Oritsua Kpogo an Itsekiri was made Chairman and towards end of his tenure, Okowa amended the law and brought in Hon. Godwin Ebosa an Itsekiri who just completed his three years tenure and is now been extended by one year to deprive the Ijaws who are next to produce the Chairman of the Board. Likewise the Isokos with this amendment has been denied to produce the next Managing Director of the Commission.
‘‘Niger Delta Scholars condemn the amendment of DESOPADEC law 2015 in a commando style as same is null and void before the law. It is political movitated and will not stand the test of time.’’ The statement decried.