Buhari sacks NDDC chairman. The hand of Amaechi, the voice of Buhari. 

 President Muhammadu Buhari has sacked Bassey Dan Abia (pictured, middle), managing director and chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and appointed Ibim Seminitari as acting head of the commission.

Ibim Seminitari served as commissioner of information and a close lackey in the administration of Rotimi Amaechi, former governor of Rivers state. Abia, an indigene of Akwa Ibom state, was appointed by former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2013. There was strong opposition to the choice of Abia, who was believed to have enjoyed the backing of Godswill Akpabio, former governor of Akwa Ibom state and the then chairman of the governors’ forum of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Responding to a petition which his opponents sent to the presidency, Abia said: “Those writing petitions against me should be bold enough to state clearly what they claim I did wrong while serving on the NDDC board or shut up forever. “My records are very clear and I am ready to defend them at any point in time.” Before he was chosen to lead the commission, he served two terms as the representative of Akwa Ibom. Different corruption allegations have been levelled against NDDC as a body, which was created as a response to the demands of the people of Niger Delta. The appointment of Seminitari calls to question the overbearing influence of Amaechi in the Presidents decision making considering that the president knows little or nothing about Seminitari or her suitability for the position.