By Bukola Olamona
|
Stakeholders in Ilaje have urged President Bola Tinubu to disregard any protest against the nomination of Otito Atikase as NDDC member.
This is as the stakeholders applauded the President for counting their son worthy to represent the Ondo State at the NDDC.
This is contained in a statement issued by the stakeholders against some unfounded agitations against Atikase’s nomination.
According to the statement,the stakeholders affirmed their belief and confidence in the capacity and ability of Atikase.
They said the former member of the Ondo State House of Assembly who represented Ilaje Constituency 2 and former Chairman,Ilaje Local Government would improve on the renewed hope agenda of the president and deliver effectively and efficiently.
” Otito Atikase is a son of the soil and loved by Ilaje people because of his pleasant antecedents
” It is obvious to all and sundry that the appointment of Otito Atikase by the President is in tandem with the NDDC act and Nigeria constitution. However,if the law is not clear to some unguided people who call themselves concerned Ugbo stakeholders, instead of wasting their precious time to disturb the peace of the citizenry with their baseless protest, they should rather approach the court for the interpretation of the law,” it stated.
It also stated that “We must also use this opportunity to inform Mr. President that the appointment into the two interventionist agencies – NDDC and OSOPADEC established by the Federal Government and Ondo State Government respectively have been generating unwarranted controversy and unnecessary frivolity between Ilaje-Ugbo (Ilaje Constituency 1) and Ilaje-Mahin/Aheri/Etikan (Ilaje Constituency 2) from time immemorial.
“Moreover, it is on record that Mr. Adebanjo Edema from Ogogoro community in Mahin Kingdom was appointed the Ondo State representative of the OMPADEC now NDDC between 1993 and 1995. Also, Barr. Olugbenga Edema from Ogogoro community in Mahin Kingdom was appointed in 2017 by the Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu as Chairman, Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, OSOPADEC and later appointed in 2022 by former Nigeria President, Muhammadu Buhari GCFR as Ondo State representative at the board of NDDC.The above facts are verifiable anytime any day.
“It is crystal clear with the above precedents that it is not only Ugbo kingdom that is producing oil in Ilaje local government area of Ondo State. All the communities in Ilaje Local Government area are entitled to the position of the NDDC and OSOPADEC by constitutional rights.” It stated.
