Reps urge Tinubu to address alleged breach in NWDC board’s appointment

The House of Representatives has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to address the alleged breach of law in the appointment of the board of North West Development Commission (NWDC).

This followed the resolution on a motion of urgent public importance by Rep. Isah Muhammad Anka at the plenary on Wednesday which was seconded by Rep. Ayokunle Isiaka.

Presenting the motion, the lawmaker said the Act establishing the commission mandated the constitution of the governing board of the commission to oversee its activities.

According to him, the Act provides that each of the states in the region is to be represented as well as representatives of security agencies.

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Rep. Anka said, “His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has forwarded names of appointees to the Senate for confirmation as members of the NWDC governing board.

“The appointment made for the NWDC governing board did not comply with the stipulation of the Act, particularly with the principle of equal states representation and representations from key security agencies.”

He alleged that there are multiple representations from some states  while the Act stipulated that each state from the North West  must have one representative on the governing board.

The lawmaker, however, said “Jigawa and Kano, each has two representatives contrary to the Act”.

According to him, there was a clear infraction in Managing Director (MD) appointment because the Act has specified that the position is to be occupied in alphabetical order starting by Jigawa followed by Kaduna, not Kano State.

He added, “The appointment of Prof. Abdullahi Shehu Ma’aji from Kano State has contravened this provision as the MD.”

On the omission of security representatives, he said the Act requires that “Representatives from the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Police Force be appointed to the board. These appointments have not been made, leaving a significant gap in security oversight”.

After his submission, Rep. Aliyu Sani Madaki objected to the emphasis on Kano State as having taken the position of the MD which the Speaker said there was nothing wrong as the House only seeks to correct the alleged wrong done in the appointments to the NWDC board.

After the presentation, the House adopted the motion and referred the matter to the House Committee on Development and Security to report back in one week.