President Bola Tinubu has approved the immediate replacement of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC’s Ondo State Representative nominee, Mr. Victor Akinjo, with a new Ondo State Representative nominee, Hon. Otito Atikase.
The President, according to a release issued on Friday by his Media Adviser, Ajuri Ngelale, equally approved the immediate replacement of the NDDC’s Cross River State Representative nominee, Mr. Asi Oku Okang, with a new Cross River State nominee, Rt. Hon. Orok Otuk Duke.
The statement further said the immedate past Managing Director / Chief Executive Officer of the NDDC, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, who is reappointed for a second term will remain in acting capacity, pending the Senate’s confirmation of his reappointment.
Recall that Lagos Panorama report that the Ondo representative slot went to Victor Kolade Akinjo, a former member of the House of Representatives and PDP member who lost his third term bid to an APC candidate in the last election.
Some APC loyalists in the state told journalists that the appointment was a big slap on them, especially as Akinjo campaigned vigorously against Tinubu during the election.
On Tuesday, a video, where Akinjo spoke derisively and mockingly against Tinubu was trending in the social media. The video was dated 10 June 2022. He is seen in the video abusing Tinubu for his inability to hold a paper to read after his victory at the APC primary election. He even said Tinubu suffers from some paralysis.
“This is the message he was spreading across the length and breath of our federal constituency and to now reward such action with an appointment such as this is indeed a slap on the face of those who worked to tirelessly to ensure emergence of our president”, a member of the party lamented on a WhatsApp platform.
Investigation revealed that Akinjo was nominated by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo. They bonded while they were both members of the House of Representatives in the 9th National Assembly. The nomination, according to sources got the stamp of approval of the Chief of Staff to the President, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, who was the former Speaker of the House. The friendship between Tunji-Ojo is such that Akinjo accompanied the minister to his screening by the Senate last month, sources said.
