By Nkechi Odumosor
ASABA/Nigeria: With the differing voices that had emerged as a result of the expiration of the Executive Council of the Ndokwa Social Cultural Apex body, the Ndokwa Neku Union, NNU, a call had been made to all sons and daugters of the area to push behind their differences and work towards the emergence of a more united and robust apex body by electing a new executive, when the time comes.
This was the stand of the Ndokwa Study Group, NSG, in a press release signed by the President, Dr. Norris Ovili, made available to www.ndokwareporters.com, Friday, June 26, 2020.
The group stated that it had been following development within the Ndokwa nation, especially since the expiration of the tenure of the immediate executive, which unfortunate occurred within the period of the Novel Coronavirus pandemic, and made it impossible to fulfill the observance of the constitution in electing a new executive body to lead the apex body.
It however pointed out that the constitution, which is the supreme organ of the NNU, could not be fulfilled, it appreciates the efforts of elders and stakeholders of Ndokwa to setup a caretaker committee to carryout activities of administration, rather than to create vacuum, pending when a substantive executive is put in place.
The group further stated that the Board of Trustees, BoT, should rise up, with supports of the people to work towards harmonizing the different voices, as it reminds all sons and daughters should work towards the elections of 2023, which can only be achieved through a strong social cultural body, that will negotiate a better position for the Ndokwa nation.
Full Text
Ndokwa Study Group (NSG) on Caretaker Committee for Ndokwa Neku Union (NNU)
We at the Ndokwa Study Group (NSG) have been following with keen interest, developments arising from the setting up of a Caretaker Committee to oversee the activities of Ndokwa Neku Union (NNU) pending the elections of new executives to run the affairs of the Union.
There is no doubt that the Constitution of NNU is the statute that governs and regulates the body and therefore must be complied with at all times. However those who drafted the constitution did not envisage the occurrence of a pandemic such as the Covid-19 which has now hampered the conduct of elections to usher in a new Executive and seamless transition to a new regime. Whatever may be the case, the advent of Covid-19 has created a new order of doing things globally and we cannot escape its pervading influence on NNU and Ndokwa as a whole.
Against the foregoing background, we are indeed thankful to the Past and Immediate Past leadership of NNU for forging a common front and leaning on a “doctrine of necessity” to put a Caretaker Committee in place that will midwife the birth of a new Executive in due time. This sagely move has no doubt helped Ndokwa to obviate what would have been an unpalatable lacuna in NNU leadership. This development is a good omen for Ndokwa. We are therefore appealing to everyone to give peace a chance and allow the Caretaker Committee arrangement to work.
As for the issues raised so far on the Board of Trustees (BOT) of NNU, it is the appeal of NSG that its members should remain as a bull-work to NNU in our resolve to project Ndokwa and to give her a place of pride among the Comity of ethnic Nationalities in Delta State. In this respect, we refer to Article 11, section 3 of the NNU Constitution which stipulates 4 years tenure for the BOT. Unless there was a renewal of tenure or if by any chance that portion of the Constitution was amended, it is our advice that its provision to that effect should apply and be held as sacrosanct.
We call on all well-meaning Ndokwa sons and daughters to join hands with the Caretaker Committee of the NNU to midwife the emergence of a new Executive that will work assiduously to address the yearnings and aspirations of Ndokwa people. It is also pertinent to state, that whoever emerges as NNU President must drop all political leanings and be father to all in the conduct of the business of the Office.
We cannot conclude without mentioning that the controversy surrounding NNU, is a big distraction from what we should be doing now. The 2023 elections is just around the corner and Ndokwa Politicians should focus on strategies to clinch very important elective positions of the Senate seat, the Deputy Governorship position and the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly. The first two being a must or sulk as usual after elections have been worn and lost. A Think Tank must be put in place now to actualize this. We must stop the attitude of settling for less and by extension nothing.
Our children in the Civil Service are daily cheated of positions due them and they are so afraid to fight for their rights because there is no strong body or persons to fight their course. Till date Ndokwa has never produced a Federal Minister or Chairman of DESOPADEC despite our immense contribution to the wealth of Nigeria and Delta State. This is the time to act. We all will be judged by posterity on how we respond as today beckons for soul searching and service to our people.
The task ahead is enormous, that is why NNU must be strengthened and made formidable to undertake the task of non-partisan leadership.
Dr. Norris Ovili
President, Ndokwa Study Group.
