Less than a year after it was appointed, President Bola Tinubu has disbanded the board and management of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) led by Lauretta Onochie.

In its place, he has appointed a new board headed by Chiedu Ebie from Delta State as the chairman.

Former president Muhammadu Buhari nominated the Onochie-led board in November 2022 amid controversy over the role played by the former special assistant on social media to the president.

The changes also affected the managing director of the commission, Samuel Ibukun, who has now been replaced by Dr Samuel Ogbuku from Bayelsa State.

According to a statement issued on Tuesday by Chief Ajuri Ngelale,

Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity), other members of the new board approved by the president are Mr. Boma Iyaye (Executive Director, Finance and Admin -Rivers), Mr Victor Antai – Executive Director (Projects, Akwa-Ibom), Ifedayo Abegunde (Executive Director, Corporate Services, Ondo), and Sen Dimaro Denyanbofa (State Representative, Bayelsa).

Also in the new board are Mr Abasi Ndikan Nkono (State Representative, Akwa Ibom), Rt Hon Monday Igbuya, State Representative, Delta), Chief Tony Okocha (State Representative, Rivers),

Hon Patrick Aisowieren (State Representative, Edo), Mr Kyrian Uchegbu (State Representative, Imo),

Victor Kolade Akinjo (State Representative, Ondo) and Chief Dimgba Eruba (State Representative, Abia).

Others are Mr Asu Oku Okang (State Representative, Cross River), Hon Nick Wende (Zonal Representative, North Central), Hon Namdas Abdulrazak, Zonal Representative (North East), and

Sen Dr Ibrahim Abdullahi Gobir (Zonal Representative, North West).

The statement added that President Tinubu expects that the new Board and Management team will ensure a new era of successful administration in the NDDC, in line with his Renewed Hope agenda.

It added: “All of the above listed appointments take immediate effect.”

Apart from Onochie and Ibukun, the former board was made up of 13 others including Charles Ehigie Airhiavbere, director of finance; Charles Ogunmola, director of project; Dimgba Erugba (Abia), Ene Wilcox (Akwa Ibom), Pius Odudu (Edo), Gbenga Odegba (Ondo), Anthony Ekene (Imo) and Onyekachi Dimgba (Rivers).

Others are Mohammed Kabiru Abubakar (Nasarawa), Tallen Mamma (Adamawa) and Sodique Sani