Three of the 19 candidates nominated by President Muhammadu Buhari to be on the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, were rejected by the Senate on Tuesday.

They are: Olatokunbo Ajasin from Ondo State, Donatus Enyinnah of Abia State and Osita Izunaso of Imo State.

Ajasin and Enyinnah were rejected on the grounds that their nominations did not adhere to the NDDC act, as both are not from the oil-producing areas of the respective states.

Osita Izunaso, a former senator and currently the National Organising Secretary of the APC, was not confirmed because he had earlier declined the offer due to opposition to his nomination, and had absented himself from the screening exercise.

It is expected that the President will name a replacement for the Imo State member of the board.

Recall that President Buhari had in July this year sent a list of 19 nominees to the Senate for confirmation as members of the Board of NDDC.