A group under the aegis of Cross River Solidarity Network for Peace and Progress, have commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the appointment of Comrade Asu Okang into the board of the Niger Delta Development Commision (NDDC), describing it as well deserved.
The Network, in statement by its national coordinator, Comrade Ushie Clement Omang, during a press conference in Abuja on Friday, said that by appointing Asu, President Tinubu has raised the bar and shown that competence is the parameter for public service.
“We want to formally thank President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for considering Mr. Asu Okang competent enough to represent Cross River State in the NDDC Board. We commend his open-mindedness to embrace and usher in vibrant patriots who had hitherto played at the sub-national levels into the national mainstream politics.
“We wish to also state categorically that, he has not infringed on any Established Act of the NDDC whatsoever, because this appointment is not only well deserving, but also falls in line with Mr. President’s penchant for talent discovery that has characterized his bold and giant strides in Lagos state and the nation at large. We vehemently affirm this particular appointment as a round peg in a round hole,” he stated.
Comrade Ushie described those who were protesting against the appointment as ignorant and parochial without basic fundamental knowledge of the NDDC Act and the thinking of President Tinubu.
“May we humbly refer Cross Riverians of goodwill to Part 1, Section 2b of the Niger Delta Development Commission Establishment Act 2000, which provides that: one person who shall be an indigene of an oil producing area to represent each of the following member states, that is ABIA STATE, AKWA IBOM STATE, BAYELSA STATE, CROSS RIVER STATE, DELTA STATE, EDO STATE, IMO STATE, ONDO STATE and RIVERS STATE.
“As a standard rule for appointment into the NDDC BOARD part 2 (2b) of the NDDC Act states that; persons of proven integrity and ability should be appointed by the President Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. It is on this premise we draw our inference and state unequivocally that the NDDC Act prohibits partisanship but encourages integrity, capacity and competence,” he added.
The Coordinator of the Network further described Comrade Okang as a competent, experienced, and well exposed young man who served under Governor Ben Ayade without blemish and his passion for performance and committed service can be attested to by all and sundry.
“Let us emphatically state that, CROSS RIVER STATE belongs to all of us. The man in the eye of the storm, MR ASU OKANG is first a Cross Riverian by birth and a patriotic Nigerian, who served Cross River State diligently first as Commissioner of Information, later as Commissioner for Youths and Sports from 2015-2021 with proven track records. We also state that he has met all due diligence for appointment by Mr. President into the NDDC Board.”
“Let us therefore, caution the protesters that they are making a mountain out of a mole hill, that Nigeria is bigger than our parochial and narrow interests. Let us all join hands with Mr. President in his RENEWED HOPE AGENDA to move the nation to its desired destination by bringing the dividends to Cross River State.
“We conclusively reiterate that, after due diligence, Mr ASU OKANG is not just competent, versatile and intelligent, but also possesses the relevant experience desired for the role in question. He meets all the criteria for appointment into NDDC. It is high time we rise above partisanship and petty sentiments and bring home what rightly belongs to CROSS RIVER STATE,” he stated.