Cross River APC Visits Senator Ndoma-Egba

Members of the Cross River State Chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC) at the weekend paid a solidarity visit to former Majority Leader of the Senate, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba in Abuja.

The visit was to congratulate the Senior Partner, Ndoma-Egba Ebri & Co law firm on his recent nomination as the Chairman of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) board.

President Muhammadu Buhari, last Wednesday forwarded for confirmation the names of 19 persons to the Senate nominated to serve on the NDDC board with Ndoma­-Egba as Chairman and Nsima Udo Ekere, former Deputy Governor of Akwa-Ibom as Managing Director of the commission.

The Chairman of Cross River APC, Mr. John Ochala, represented by the Vice Chairman Cross River Central senatorial zone, Hon. Cletus Obun, during the visit appealed to Ndoma-Egba to help tackle the perennial infrastructural constraints facing the people of Cross Rivers State upon his assumption of office for the new assignment.

Ochala, who lamented the backwardness in the economic growth of the state and the attendant decaying infrastructure said, “While you agree that NDDC belongs to the delta's population, you are aware that Cross River State is the only state in Nigeria that has been relegated thrice.”

The Cross River State APC helmsman further stated: “For the record, Nigeria spent 300 million Dollars in a process that ceded part of the state and never involved any indigene in the exercise. Because of this, we are aware the President has a special purpose for Cross River and your appointment is more like a compensation.”

While reviewing the history of Cross River State, Ochala observed that past ministers from the state did nothing to assist the people of the state. He therefore implored Ndoma-Egba to use the present opportunity offered the state by President Buhari with his nomination as the NDDC chairman to look into the issue of infrastructure, especially road construction to make up for the previous losses, declaring that “the road leading to Calabar is a death trap”.

Responding, the NDDC Chairman-designate expressed gratitude to the APC stalwarts for their visit, acknowledging that the opportunity given him to serve was a blessing. The ex-Senate Leader, who represented Cross River Central in the Red Chamber between 2003 and 2015, assured them that he would leave no stone unturned to represent the interest of Cross Riveriansaccording to the mandate of the commission and work together with other members of the board for the overall development of the Niger Delta region.

FROM MICHAEL JEGEDE
ABUJA-BASED JOURNALIST