The Senate yesterday rejected a Bill that sought to add Anambra to the States that make up the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
The rejection sparked a clash between Senator Tony Nwoye (LP – Anambra North) and Senator Jibrin Isah also known as Echocho (APC – Kogi East).
The Bill, sponsored by Senator Nwoye, was titled: A Bill for an Act to amend the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Act to make provision for the inclusion of Anambra State as one of the member state and for other connected matters thereto, 2024”.
Nwoye argued that Anambra deserved to be a member of NDDC States because it had been receiving 13 per cent derivation since 2021 due to oil production in the state every year.
But many of the Senators who spoke on the bill, opposed it on the basis that States like Kogi and Lagos are not part of NDDC operations even though they are oil- producing States.
Senator Isah said NDDC by its name is a regional or geographical intervention body and not just a collection of oil producing states.
He said that his home State (Kogi) had also been receiving 13% derivation as an oil-producing State.
Nwoye strongly challenged Isah’s statement by repeatedly waving a document in his hand that showed that it was Anambra and not Kogi, that had been receiving 13% derivation.
“Mr President and distinguished colleagues, Anambra as an oil producing state has been receiving 13% derivation from oil extracted from its wells by the federal government since 2021 and rightly deserves to be included in the operational area of NDDC.
“Kogi State was also declared as an oil producing state but has not been receiving any 13% derivation,” he said.
Senator Isah told Senator Nwoye to focus on Anambra State and let the Senate decide the fate of his bill.
“Senator Nwoye with all due respect, please stop involving Kogi State in your argument for Anambra State’s membership in NDDC. Kogi State is an oil producing State and has also been receiving 13% derivation since October 2022,” he said.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio tried to calm down the two Senators and said that if the Senate agreed with Senator Nwoye’s proposal to add Anambra State to NDDC, then Lagos State which has two oil wells in Badagry, would also demand to join the commission.
He said that the National Boundary Commission should determine whether Anambra State is close enough to the Niger Delta area to be a member of NDDC, as Senator Nwoye claimed.
The bill was voted down by the Senators and was thrown out.
