The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has issued a formal apology to the Senate President, His Excellency Chief Godswill Akpabio, GCFR, over what it described as an unwarranted outburst from a representative of the Delta State Government regarding an incident involving Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan in the Senate chambers on Thursday, February 20, 2025.
In a statement signed by NDDC Chairman, Mr. Chiedu Ebie, and Managing Director/CEO, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, the commission condemned the remarks made by Hon. Reuben Izeze, Delta State Commissioner for Works and Urban Highways, labeling them unacceptable and regrettable. According to the statement, the commissioner’s comments were inappropriate, given the occasion and the significance of the event.
The controversy erupted during the commissioning of the Abraka-Oben Road, a 9.5km stretch linking Eku-Abraka-Obiaruku-Umutu directly to Benin in Edo State, reducing travel time to less than 35 minutes. On the same day, the NDDC also launched the reconstruction of the Abraka-Agbor Road, further strengthening infrastructure development in the region. These projects are part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, and the commission expressed gratitude for the National Assembly’s funding support.
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Addressing the core issue, the NDDC acknowledged that Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan had disagreed with Senate President Akpabio over a seating arrangement in the Senate, which resulted in an unfortunate incident. While the Senate is handling the matter internally, the commission emphasized that the timing and setting of the Delta State representative’s remarks were inappropriate, taking attention away from a major developmental milestone.
The commission further assured its commitment to partnering with the Senate President in driving rapid development across the Niger Delta. It emphasized that the expeditious passage of the NDDC 2025 budget would enable the commission to continue delivering critical infrastructure and services to the region.
Reaffirming its loyalty to the National Assembly and the Senate, the NDDC extended deepest regrets to Akpabio for any embarrassment or offense caused by the Delta State representative. The board reiterated its focus on strengthening development efforts in the region and ensuring that such distractions do not interfere with its core mission.