The Senate Wednesday rejected move to include Anambra State in the membership of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
The rejection has also led to bickering between Senators Tony Nwoye (LP Anambra North) and Jibrin Isah popularly known as Echocho ( APC Kogi East) .
Senator Nwoye had in his lead debate on the bill seeking for amendment of the NDDC Act for inclusion of Anambra State, being an oil producing state, argued that Anambra deserved membership of NDDC since it has been collecting 13 per cent derivation since 2021 following annual appreciable volume of oil.
But most of the Senators who made contributions on the bill, opposed Nwoye stating that oil producing states like Kogi and Lagos States are excluded from the NDDC membership.
Specifically , Senator Jibrin Isah ( Echocho), said NDDC by its name, is more of regional or geographical intervention body and not just for oil producing states.
He said his state ( Kogi ) , has also been collecting 13 per cent derivation as an oil producing state, although opposed by Senator Nwoye.
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“Mr President and distinguished colleagues, Anambra as an oil producing state has been collecting 13 per cent derivation from oil explored from her wells by the federal government since 2021, and eminently deserves to be included in the operational radius of NDDC .
“Kogi State was also declared as an oil producing state, but has not been collecting any 13 per cent derivation” , he said .
Irked by the submission, Senator Echocho furiously took to the floor by admonishing Senator Nwoye to limit his argument to Anambra State and allow the senate to decide the fate of his bill.
“Senator Nwoye with all due respect, please stop dragging Kogi State into your argument for membership of Anambra State in NDDC . Kogi State is an oil producing State and has also been collecting 13% derivation since October 2022”, he said.
Intervening, the President of the State, Godswill Akpabio, said if the argument of Senator Nwoye on proposed membership of Anambra State in NDDC, is to be accepted by the Senate , then Lagos State, which has two oil wells in Badagry, will also clamour for membership of the Commission.
On Nwoye’s submissions that Anambra State qualifies to be a member on account of its proximity to Niger Delta area, Akpabio said the National boundary commission , would have decided that.
He accordingly put the passage of the bill for second reading to vote but was rejected with “Nays” voice votes by the Senators.
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