CHUKWU DAVID writes on how senators from the six geo-political zones of the country ensured that development commissions were established in their respective zones and the politics that characterized the exercise

In recent times, there have been desperate and apparent competitive efforts on the part of senators representing the six geo-political zones of the country to set up a development commission in each region, including the South-South, which is dominantly covered in the agenda of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

Recall that the NDDC was established in the year 2000, as an interventionist body by the then President Olusegun Obasanjo to address the environmental and developmental problems arising from oil exploration in the South-South and a few other states in the South-East and South-West.

The primary objective of the commission is to develop the oil rich Niger Delta region of Nigeria and addressing the socio-economic difficulties faced by the population. It has the statutory responsibilities to formulate policies; develop policies and guidelines for the region’s development as well as take up infrastructure development and implement projects in transportation, health and employment, among others.

However, following the eruption of insurgency in the North-East, with Boko Haram insurgents launching devastating attacks in the zone, some senators from the zone during the 8th Assembly, mounted serious campaign for the establishment of a development commission for their area.

Accordingly, the North East Development Commission (NEDC) Act was passed by the Senate and signed into law on October 25, 2017 by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The commission was established to address the devastation caused by Boko Haram insurgents in the area. The NEDC is responsible for managing funds allocated by the Federal Government and international donor agencies for the resettlement, rehabilitation, integration, and reconstruction of roads, houses, and business premises of victims of insurgency.

Its primary goal is to promote economic development and social stability in the region. With this development, other regions started agitating for establishment of similar commissions in their zone. The South-East, North Central, North-West, South-South and South West, all brought bills before the nation’s apex legislative Assembly, seeking to set up the development commissions for similar reasons.

South East

The South East Development Commission (SEDC) Act was passed in two stages. The House of Representatives passed the bill on December 22, 2023, marking a significant milestone 53 years after the Nigerian civil war that ravaged the region. The Senate followed suit and passed the bill on February 22, 2024. The SEDC aims to address socioeconomic challenges and promote development in the South-East and the bill for its creation has been signed into law by President Bola Tinubu.

North West

The President has also signed the North West Development Commission (NWDC) Bill earlier passed by the Senate into law, specifically on July 24. The Act aims to revitalize Nigeria’s North West zone that has been ravaged by insecurity. Accordingly, the commission will spearhead reconstruction and development efforts in the zone.

Amendment to SEDC, NWDC

Meanwhile, the Senate, last week, resolved to amend the North West and South East Development Commission Acts over positions of Managing Director and Chairman.

In separate lead debates on the amendment bills to the Acts, the Senate Leader, Bamidele, explained that amendment to the North West Development Commission Act, 2024, sought to provide for geopolitical representation in the governing board of the commission.

He noted that the amendment bill also sought to reconcile the lacuna that exists in the provisions, relating to the appointments of the chairman and managing director of the commission by ensuring that the two are not appointed from the same state or zone, as well as subject the appointments to the confirmation of the Senate in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The Senate Leader also offered similar explanation in his lead debate for amendment to the South East Development Commission Act. Commenting on the actions taken by the Red Chamber on the bills, after passing them for second reading, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, said that the proposed amendments to the Acts, were very necessary for smooth running of the commissions across the zones.

South West

Also, passed by the Senate is the South West Development Commission (SWDC) Bill. The Red Chamber passed the Bill on September 26, following the consideration of the report submitted by the chairman, Senate Committee on Special Duties, Senator Kaka Shehu.

While presenting the report for establishment of the commission, the lawmaker said that the intents and purposes of the bill were well structured for socio- economic development of South-West zone. Commenting on the passage of the bill, the Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, disclosed that lawmakers from South-West states lobbied their colleagues from other geo-political zones to pass the bill.

Bamidele, who is also the Leader of the South-West National Assembly Caucus, disclosed that lawmakers from the South-West APC “have been a formidable force, contributing significantly to the progress and stability of the National Assembly.”

According to a statement from Bamidele’s Media directorate, he made the remarks at the 2024 South-West Assembly of the All Progressives Congress (APC) held at Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos on Saturday, where he suggested the need to institutionalize the Assembly for regular and sustained interaction among stakeholders.

He explained how the South-West Caucus worked with federal lawmakers from other geo-political zones to secure majority support for the passage of the South West Development Commission Bill, at the upper chamber.

He also highlighted the considerable influence of the South-West Caucus in the 10th National Assembly, pointing out that out of the 18 senators from the zone, 15 are from the APC. This figure, according to him, makes the South-West the largest single bloc of APC senators in the Senate. “This has given us considerable influence and we have used it effectively for the good of our people,” Bamidele maintained.

He noted that the push for the establishment of the SWDC was not just a necessity, but a matter of equity, as other regions have similar commissions in place, saying every member of the South West, National Assembly, regardless of party affiliation, worked together to ensure this passage of the bill in the Senate.

South South

In a related development, the Senate also passed for second reading, the bill seeking for establishment of South South Development Commission, few months after kicking against it.

Arguments canvassed by the sponsor of the bill, Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong (APC, Cross River South) and Senator Seriake Dickson (PDP Bayelsa West) during debate on the bill, convinced senators across party lines and geo-political zones to endorse the proposal.

Senator Dickson, in his contribution to the bill, said that the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), being mistaken to be in the mode of zonal development commissions, is a resource based commission that cut across the South-South geo-political zone.

It is pertinent to note that the bill was earlier withdrawn by the Senate. The bill was actually going to be killed but for the intervention of the President of the Senate, Akpabio, who suggested that it should be stood down when he noticed that majority of the lawmakers present in the Chamber were opposed to it.

The bill, titled “A Bill for an Act to establish the South-South Development Commission,” is charged with the responsibility to receive and manage funds from the Federation Account Allocation and other sources, donations, grants, and for the integration, development, resolution of infrastructural deficit, militancy, communal crises as well as tackle ecological, environmental problems, and for related matters.

No sooner than the lead debate was presented by Senator Benson Agadaga (Bayelsa East), than it was opposed by Senators Adamu Aliero (PDP, Kebbi Central) and Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi Central).

They argued that the proposed commission would amount to a duplication of the existing Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), and advised the Senate to jettison the Bill, accusing the sponsor of wanting to play on the intelligence of senators by bringing such a bill to the floor.

Aliero argued that the South-South and the Niger Delta already have a fully-funded government agency and a Ministry to oversee development in the zone. The senator recalled how the administration of the late President Umaru Yar’Adua in 2007 created the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs in addition to the already existing NDDC.

However, when the bill was represented last week on the floor of the Senate for consideration, the senators supported it without any dissenting voice. Senator Akpabio who was highly elated by the overwhelming support given the proposed commission, thereafter, referred it to the Senate Committee on Special Duties for further legislative input and to report back within one week.

North Central

The Senate had passed the North Central Development Commission Bill on July 4. The bill also aims to establish a commission that will focus on the development of the North Central zone, which comprises Kogi, Niger, Benue, Kwara, Plateau, and Nasarawa states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The bill was sponsored by Senators Abba Moro and Sani Musa, representing Benue South and Niger East, respectively.