NB247
A coalition of stakeholders from the Oil-Producing Areas of Ondo State, comprising youths, women, community leaders, and opinion stakeholders, has called on President Bola Tinubu to remove Hon. Otito Atikase Ehinmore from the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission for alleged misconduct and abuse of office.
The group also demanded that the NDDC member be removed within one week, threatening to stir up crisis in the oil rich areas of the state.
The demand, which is contained in a letter addressed to the President and dated 15th October, 2025, and signed by not less than 50 youths from the oil-producing communities, accused Hon. Ehinmore of gross misconduct, abuse of office, nepotism, and total disconnect from the people he represents.
In the letter, which was also copied to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the coalition expressed disappointment over Hon. Ehinmore’s alleged conduct, describing him as “a total misfit, absentee officer, and monumental disappointment to the people of Ondo State.”
The letter says since assuming office, Hon. Ehinmore has remained invisible, inaccessible, and unaccountable, showing no engagement with youth groups, traditional rulers, or community stakeholders.
The coalition alleged that NDDC member had turned the Ondo State seat on the NDDC Board into a “ghost position,” depriving the state of visibility and developmental benefits.
The coalition further accused Hon. Ehinmore of nepotism and financial misconduct, stating that he allegedly diverted all four employment slots allocated to the oil-producing areas of Ondo State to members of his immediate family — namely: Mr. Ehinmore Dare, Miss Ehinmore Dayo, Mr. Ehinmore Babatund and Mrs. Ogayemi Taye Stella
The coalition also alleges that Hon. Ehinmore diverted millions of naira meant for the 2023 and 2024 NDDC Youth Empowerment Programmes in Ondo State, channeling them through proxy accounts of his nominees.
The group alleged that the member reportedly boasted that the funds were his “personal entitlement.”
They also accused him of diverting relief materials sent to the oil-producing communities by the NDDC to assist victims of environmental degradation — selling them off for personal gain.
“These acts of greed and abuse, represent a betrayal of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu’s administration and a cruel exploitation of the people’s pain,” the group asserted.
The coalition further asserted that Hon. Ehinmore has lost all credibility and public confidence, and that his continued stay on the NDDC Board is an embarrassment to the government and the people of Ondo State.
“The NDDC was established to restore hope and drive development in the Niger Delta, not to serve as a personal treasury for selfish appointees,” the group stated.
They therefore demanded his immediate removal and the appointment of a credible, people-oriented representative who would align with the President’s development vision for the Niger Delta region.
The coalition warned that if no action was taken within one week, they would be left with no choice but to embark on peaceful but massive demonstrations across the state and at NDDC offices.
“Our protests will be peaceful, lawful, and democratic — but they will be massive, continuous, and unrelenting until justice is served,” the letter reads.
”The people have spoken. The time to act is now. Enough is enough.”
Efforts to get Hon. Ehinmore to respond to the allegations against him did not yield results.
His phone rang out without him picking the calls. He also did not respond to a text message sent to him on Whatsapp.
