society
Professor of Law Writes The Senate Over Usurpation Of The Powers Of NDDC Board
Professor of Law Writes The Senate Over Usurpation Of The Powers Of NDDC Board
NDDC– Worried over the lingering crises of usurpation of the powers of the board of Niger Delta Development Commission by its management, a distinguished professor of Law. Yusuf Dankofa, PHD has a petition to the Chairman, Ad-hoc committee Investigating Budgets of the NDDC, Senator Yusuf Yusuf.
Here is the letter as obtained by us…
Distinguished Senator Yusuf Yusuf
The Chairman, Ad-hoc Committee Investigating Budgets of the NDDC,
Senate of Nigeria,
National Assembly
Three Arms Zone
Dear Sir,
SUBMISSION ON THE LINGERING CRISES OF USURPATION OF THE POWERS OF THE BOARD OF NIGER DELTA DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION BY IT’S MANAGEMENT
We are Legal Practitioners based in the above address with interests spanning constitutionalism, human rights, public interests advocacy and litigation. We have watched with keen interest the crises of leadership tussles at the NDDC which is a needless act of usurpation of powers of the board by it’s management. The crisis has now extended to the process of budgeting by the commission and if proper understanding of the Act establishing the commission and the civil service rules are not adhered to and upheld by the relevant institutions and stakeholders, that will undermine the principles of good corporate governance that will hamper the Commission from its mandate.
We therefore welcome the Senate setting up an Ad-hoc Committee under your Chairmanship to investigate the 2021, 2022 and 2023 estimates of the Commission
We respectfully identified the following key areas for determination and proffer necessary advice:
- THE ROLE OF THE CHAIRMAN OF THE GOVERNING BOARD OF NDDC
We submit that the NDDC’s highest decision making organ is the Governing Board .This is amplified by section 1 sub-section 2 (1)(a) of the Niger Delta Development Commission (Establishment etc) Act 2000. This board headed by the Chairman in conjunction with the office of the Managing Director shall formulate necessary guidelines for the development of Niger Delta area.
Section 8 of the Act further provides that the Board shall have power to:
- manage and supervise the affairs of the commission,
- make rules and regulations to carry out the functions of the commission,
- enter into such contracts as may be necessary or expedient for the discharge of its functions and
- ensure the efficient performance of the functions of the commission.
With the above provisons of the Act, it becomes a settled matter of law that the Chairman of the Governing Board is the supervisory authority on all issues affecting the Commission. Without the approval of the Board, any action so taken will be a violation of the Act, and thus illegal.
The overarching responsibility of the Chairman is to protect the resources of the people and make sure that due process is followed in all administrative and financial activities. The Governing board is therefore superior to the Managing Director, because the Management must always seek approvals of the Board to make or take significant decisions.
It’s therefore our considered view based on the extant law that the Commission can only effectively perform its roles with a substantive Governing Board headed by a Chairman. Any act done without the input and approval of the board is invalid and therefore remains voidable. The so called MoU signed by the management of NDDC with a United State based firm for the construction of railway in some parts of Niger Delta without the knowledge and approval of its governing board, is nothing but a gross usurpation of powers of the board as enshrined in the Act, and therefore null and void.
- CAN THE MANAGEMENT TEAM UNILATERALLY PREPARE AND PRESENT NNDC’S BUDGET TO THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY WITHOUT INPUTS AND APPROVAL OF SAME BY THE GOVERNING BOARD?
Section 18 (1) of the NDDC act clearly provides answers to this question. The said section is herein reproduced for ease of reference,
The board shall not, later than 30th September in each year submit to the National Assembly, through the President, Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces an estimate and expenditure of the income of the commission during the next succeeding year for approval.
It is clear from the above Section that the only person that can present the budget of the Commission to the National Assembly is its Chairman. Any budget presented to the National Assembly, including the Senate, by the Management of the Commission is a breach of the Act that established the Commission. We therefore urge Your respected Red Chamber to decline validating the illegal budget proposal before you as that will amount to giving a stamp of acceptance to an unlawful act. The Senate should not consider any budget estimates from the Commission that is not approved by it’s board and presented for your consideration by the Chairman of the Commission.
May I, with respect also refer you to the Supplementary provisions regarding the Board in the NDDC Act, otherwise referred to as the Schedule. Section 1 (2)of the Schedule clearly provides that, the quorum of board shall be the Chairman and that the Board can only meet wherever it is convened by the Chairman and that under section 4 (1) the fixing of the seal of the commission shall be authenticated by the signatures by the chairman or any member of the board generally or specifically authorised by the board to act for that purpose and the managing director.
It is not in doubt that any decision made by the commission must be sanctioned by the Board. The management cannot act outside the province and authority of the Board.
The management team should be made to understand that it does not have unlimited authority and the principle of checks and balances under constitutional democracy has also been put in place by the NDDC Act so that the management team cannot confer unto itself emergency powers which will ultimately lead to abuse.
- UNAUTHORISED AND FRUITLESS EXPENDITURES
We also respectfully urge your Ad-hoc Committee to examine if the Management of the Commission, especially the Managing Director, have observed the Public Service Rules, including that of seeking the approval of their supervising authority in this case, the Chairman of the board – before undertaking local and foreign trips; and also whether they travel within the airfare class so prescribed by the Public Service Rules.
We hope that you shall give the necessary considerations to the salient issues of law raised by our submission in this document and use them to resolve this unnecessary usurpation and abuse of power.
Thank you.
Yours,
Signed.
YUSUF DANKOFA, PHD
Professor of Law.
Ramadan: Adron Homes Felicitates Muslims, Preaches Hope and Unity
Adron Homes & Properties Limited has congratulated Muslim faithful on the commencement of the holy month of Ramadan, urging Nigerians to embrace the virtues of sacrifice, discipline, and compassion that define the season.
In a statement made available to journalists, the company described Ramadan as a period of deep reflection, spiritual renewal, and strengthened devotion to faith and humanity.
According to the management, the holy month represents values that align with the organisation’s commitment to integrity, resilience, and community development.
“Ramadan is a time that teaches patience, generosity, and selflessness. As our Muslim customers and partners begin the fast, we pray that their sacrifices are accepted and that the season brings peace, joy, and renewed hope to their homes and the nation at large,” the statement read.
The firm reaffirmed its dedication to providing affordable and accessible housing solutions to Nigerians, noting that building homes goes beyond structures to creating environments where families can thrive.
Adron Homes further urged citizens to use the period to pray for national unity, economic stability, and sustainable growth.
It wished all Muslim faithful a spiritually fulfilling Ramadan.
Ramadan Mubarak.
society
Underfunding National Security: Envelope Budgeting Fails Nigeria’s Defence By George Omagbemi Sylvester
Underfunding National Security: Envelope Budgeting Fails Nigeria’s Defence
By George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by saharaweeklyng.com
“Fiscal Rigidity in a Time of Crisis: Lawmakers Say Fixed Budget Ceilings Are Crippling Nigeria’s Fight Against Insurgency, Banditry, and Organized Crime.”
Nigeria’s legislature has issued a stark warning: the envelope budgeting system; a fiscal model that caps spending for ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) is inadequate to meet the country’s escalating security challenges. Lawmakers and budget analysts argue that rigid fiscal ceilings are undermining the nation’s ability to confront insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, separatist violence, oil theft and maritime insecurity.
The warning emerged during the 2026 budget defence session for the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) at the National Assembly in Abuja. Senator Yahaya Abdullahi (APC‑Kebbi North), chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence, decried the envelope system, noting that security agencies “have been subject to the vagaries of the envelope system rather than to genuine needs and requirements.” The committee highlighted non-release or partial release of capital funds from previous budgets, which has hindered procurement, intelligence and operational capacity.
Nigeria faces a multi‑front security crisis: persistent insurgency in the North‑East, banditry and kidnappings across the North‑West and North‑Central, separatist tensions in the South‑East, and piracy affecting Niger Delta oil production. Despite declarations of a national security emergency by President Bola Tinubu, lawmakers point to a “disconnect” between rhetoric and the actual fiscal support for agencies tasked with enforcement.
Experts warn that security operations demand flexibility and rapid resource allocation. Dr. Amina Bello, a public finance specialist, said: “A static budget in a dynamic threat environment is like sending firefighters with water jugs to a forest fire. You need flexibility, not fixed ceilings, to adapt to unforeseen developments.”
The Permanent Secretary of Special Services at ONSA, Mohammed Sanusi, detailed operational consequences: irregular overhead releases, unfulfilled capital appropriations, and constrained foreign service funds. These fiscal constraints have weakened intelligence and covert units, hampering surveillance, cyber‑security, counter‑terrorism and intelligence sharing.
Delayed capital releases have stalled critical projects, including infrastructure upgrades and surveillance systems. Professor Kolawole Adeyemi, a governance expert, emphasized that “budgeting for security must allow for rapid reallocation in response to threats that move faster than political cycles. Envelope budgeting lacks this essential flexibility.”
While the National Assembly advocates fiscal discipline, lawmakers stress that security funding requires strategic responsiveness. Speaker Abbas Ibrahim underscored that security deserves “prominent and sustained attention” in the 2026 budget, balancing oversight with operational needs.
In response, the Senate committee plans to pursue reforms, including collaboration with the executive to restructure funding, explore supplementary budgets and ensure predictable and sufficient resources for security agencies. Experts warn that without reform, criminal networks will exploit these gaps, eroding public trust.
As one policy analyst summarized: “A nation declares a security emergency; but if its budget does not follow with real resources and oversight, the emergency remains rhetorical.” Nigeria’s debate over envelope budgeting is more than an accounting dispute; it is a contest over the nation’s security priorities and its commitment to safeguarding citizens.
Rev. Mother Kehinde Osoba (Eritosin) Celebrates as She Marks Her Birthday
Today, the world and the body of Christ rise in celebration of a rare vessel of honour, Rev. Mother Kehinde Osoba, fondly known as Eritosin, as she marks her birthday.
Born a special child with a divine mark of grace, Rev. Mother Eritosin’s journey in God’s vineyard spans several decades of steadfast service, spiritual depth, and undeniable impact. Those who know her closely describe her as a prophetess with a heart of gold — a woman whose calling is not worn as a title, but lived daily through compassion, discipline, humility, and unwavering faith.
From her early days in ministry, she has touched lives across communities, offering spiritual guidance, prophetic insight, and motherly counsel. Many testify that through her prayers and teachings, they encountered God in a deeply personal and transformative way. Near and far, her influence continues to echo — not only within church walls, but in homes, families, and destinies reshaped through her mentorship.
A mother in every sense of the word, Rev. Mother Kehinde Osoba embodies nurture and correction in equal measure. As a grandmother, she remains energetic in purpose — accommodating the wayward, embracing the rejected, and holding firmly to the belief that no soul is beyond redemption. Her life’s mission has remained consistent: to lead many to Christ and guide them into the light of a new beginning.
Deeply rooted within the C&S Unification, she stands tall as a spiritual pillar in the Cherubim and Seraphim Church globally. Her dedication to holiness, unity, and prophetic service has earned her widespread respect as a spiritual matriarch whose voice carries both authority and humility.
As she celebrates another year today, tributes continue to pour in from spiritual sons and daughters, church leaders, and admirers who see in her a living reflection of grace in action.
Prayer for Rev. Mother Kehinde Osoba (Eritosin)
May the Almighty God, who called you from birth and anointed you for His service, continually strengthen you with divine health and renewed vigour.
May your oil never run dry, and may your prophetic mantle grow heavier with greater glory.
May the lives you have nurtured rise to call you blessed.
May your latter years be greater than the former, filled with peace, honour, and the visible rewards of your labour in God’s vineyard.
May heaven continually back your prayers, and may your light shine brighter across nations.
Happy Birthday to a true Mother in Israel — Rev. Mother Kehinde Osoba (Eritosin).
More years.
More anointing.
More impact.
If you want this adapted for a newspaper page, church bulletin, Facebook post, or birthday flyer, just tell me the format and tone.
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