Vice President, Goodluck Jonathan, is in a silent but intense political battle with two Governors on the appointments of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Chairman and Managing Director (MD).
The struggle is code named ‘Abuja versus Home Front’ or ‘Aso Rock versus the Creeks.’ Others call it “Abuja versus Militants.”
Governors Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers) and Timiprey Sylva (Bayelsa) want to handpick cronies for the jobs, against Jonathan’s desire for his own proteges.
The Niger Delta portfolio is supervised by the office of the Vice President.
When President Umaru Yar’Adua removed the NDDC board and management last week, he announced that the new board Chairman will come from Bayelsa, and the MD from Rivers.
The announcement cut short by two years the tenure of Ndutimi Alaibe, who was appointed MD in May 2007.
April 17 is the deadline for the submission of nominees for the posts, with three candidates nominated for each.
Top on Jonathan’s list for MD are former House of Representatives Deputy Speakers, Chibudom Nwuche and Austin Opara. Both are from Rivers.
Sources in the Villa said Amaechi “might be favourably disposed towards Nwuche,” but not the same can be said of Opara who contested with Amaechi for the Governorship.
Amaechi’s stand against Opara is also based on the thinking that former Governor Peter Odili may be rooting for him.
Amaechi’s camp believes that appointing Opara would amount to empowering an enemy against a sitting Governor, whose candidates include Noble Abe, Managing Director of Oil and Gas Free Zone and former NDDC Executive Director (Projects), Beniah Ojum.
A close aide to Amaechi said on Wednesday that Abe may not make it since his brother, Magnus, is the Secretary to Rivers State Government.
Andrew Uchendu, a member of the House of Representatives, has been penciled down in his place.
Another contender is Tonye Princewill, Action Congress (AC) Rivers Chairman, a “political outsider” who does not hide his support for Amaechi.
Except for Amaechi who may block his appointment, sources at the Villa said Opara stands a better chance than others as he and the Governor speak Ikwerre although not from the same council.
Both are also from Rivers East Senatorial District which has Amaechi as the only senior political office holder. Opara is also from Port Harcourt which hosts all the oil companies.
Nwuche has the advantage of an influential father but his Senatorial district seems loaded with high-level political appointments.
In his view, service, rather than political considerations, should be uppermost in the minds of those making the appointments.
“If they want service, they should look for someone who can deliver. Once they are able to develop the area, this is what is uppermost in my mind. I am not one of those who would go begging for a job,” Nwuche said.
Both he and Opara have high level connections in Abuja, especially at the National Assembly, which could make appropriation for the NDDC a bit easier.
Top Rivers indigenes in Abuja are daily consulting with Jonathan to nominate Opara for the position “since any other nominee would simply operate from Government House.”
The NDDC Chairmanship allotted to Bayelsa also attracts a lot of attention because of Sylva’s frosty relationship with Jonathan.
Sources stated that while both united to oust Alaibe “they are singing completely different tunes” on who becomes NDDC Chairman.
Jonathan is said to prefer David Brigidi or John Brambaifa who have been rejected by Sylva.
But both Jonathan and Sylva seem to have agreed on Ebitimi Banigo, now Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Chairman.
On Sylva’s list are Sookore Josef Egbeuson, Anderson Eseinokumo, and Millionnaire Abowei.