- Gives Nov 1 ultimatum on 16-point agenda
- Ekweremadu raises hope on power devolution
By Emeka Nze and Taiye Odewale, Abuja
About 24 hours after a coalition of Northern youths backed down on its October 1 quit notice to Igbo resident in that part of the country, Niger Delta leaders have declared a November 1 ultimatum for the federal government to meet the region’s 16-point demand, or withdraw from the peace talks. Th ey also insisted on restructuring of the country, threatening that without restructuring, there won’t be a country called Nigeria.
Th e leaders gathered under the aegis of Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), with Chief Edwin Clark as its National Leader/Convener. Addressing journalists yesterday in Abuja, Chief Clark, declared that the region might be forced to withdraw from peace talks if the demands were not meant before the November 1, 2017 deadline. On the 16-point demand Clark said even though Acting President Yemi Osinbajo had given a fi rm commitment after his visit to the region, government has failed to take steps towards their implementation, thereby putting Niger Delta leaders under pressure from their people.
He said: “I wish to urge the federal government to, as a matter of urgency, implement the pronouncements made by the Acting President, His Excellency, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, GCON, during his fact-fi nding visits to the Niger Delta Region, and to set up, without delay, the federal government Dialogue Team to engage PANDEF, towards resolving the pending issues contained in the Forum’s 16-point demand on behalf of the people of the Niger Delta Region, by, or before, November 1, 2017 (fi rst anniversary of our meeting with His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari). “Human endurance has a limit beyond which one cannot predict what the outcome will be.
We submitted a 16-point demand to Mr. President on November 1, 2016, and we had expected that by its next anniversary, the 16-point agenda would have been comprehensively sorted out. “If, at the expiration of the November 1, 2017 ultimatum, the federal government fails and/or refuses to accede to these lawful and legitimate demands of the Niger Delta people, PANDEF may consider pulling out of the ongoing peace process in the Niger Delta.”
Th e elders regretted that despite eff orts made by them to stabilise oil production and help the country out of recession, government has not demonstrated enough faith in the peace process. He added: “Unfortunately, however, it is a matter of regret to note that, the eff orts of PANDEF to help Nigeria climb out of recession through a stable oil and gas production regime, have not been met with tangible reciprocal action by the federal government.
“Indeed, through PANDEF intervention, the people of the Niger Delta region have demonstrated tremendous patriotism and goodwill towards the current administration. “Th is is in spite of our being placed at a disadvantaged and marginalised position, even on issues concerning the oil and gas industry.” ‘Neglect’ of host communities Some of the issues which the group considered vexing, according to the elder statesman, are 10% for host community in the just passed Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB), which he said must not be tampered with, alienation of Niger Deltans from Nigerian national Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) appointments, relocation of oil companies’ headquarters to Niger Delta, etc.
Th e Niger Delta elders rejected the new board of the NNPC, appointment of Chief Executives of NNPC subsidiaries, selection of indigenous oil operators and marginal oil fi elds operators. He said: “I have been beset with statistics on the level of marginalisation against indigenes of host communities in the Niger Delta in the area of indigenous oil and gas Concessions and their Directors/Shareholders. “I am shocked to discover that virtually all the oil blocks or marginal oil fi elds in the country are owned by Northerners and their counterparts in other parts of Nigeria, who are mostly South-westerners and Southeasterners.
“I have a duty to draw the attention of the federal government to the marginalization and neglect of the region.” Listing all the aff ected NNPC board members, heads of its subsidiaries and oil block allocations, Clark further stated: “From the above records, it is shown clearly that the people of the Niger Delta, who produced the commodity unjustifi ably, suff er degradation and the hazards, are not involved in the process”. ….Insists on restructuring On the recent rejection of the devolution of powers in the recent Constitution amendment by the Senate, Clark condemned the decision, noting that particular sections of the country were antagonistic to the Niger Delta cause.
He said: “Suddenly, the word ‘Restructuring’ has become a pain in the ears of a few champions of wicked hegemony. All we are saying is, let us go back to the negotiated 1960 Independence Constitution, on which the 1963 Republican Constitution was molded. “If there be anything wrong with that Constitution, it can become an issue to ameliorate, by amicable negotiations and consensus.
“Anything else is most obnoxious, and totally unacceptable to the peoples of the entire Southern and Middle Belt areas of Nigeria, as well as the growing numbers of wellmeaning Nigerians from the Northern parts of the Country. All we are saying is, ‘No Restructuring, no Nigeria.” He, however, expressed the belief of the Niger Deltans in the corporate existence of Nigeria, but regretted what he called the antagonistic rhetoric from other parts of the country. Among prominent members of PANDEF at the press briefi ng were King Alfred Diete Spiff , Senator Stella Omu, Senator Henshaw and Kayode Ajulo. NASS to revisit devolution of powers Meanwhile, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu declared yesterday that the proposal on power devolution rejected last week by the National Assembly, will be revisited after all.
Ekweremadu, who stated this in Abuja during a consultative meeting on South-east infrastructural development with a delegation of the Partnership to Engage, Reform, and Learn (PERL) and the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID), led by PERL’s Team Leader, Dr. Adiya Ode, said it is not end of the road yet for all the rejected bills.
“It is not end of the road yet for the failed alteration bills since constitution amendment was a continuum, as further consultation as well as understanding of the issues was needed”, he said. He stressed further that since devolution of power was key to infrastructure development at the grassroots, National Assembly will surely reconsider the proposal. Ekweremadu said: “We commend our colleagues for their understanding and ensuring that about 95 per cent of the amendments we proposed to them scaled through. “We are also conscious of the fact that Nigerians are worried about some of the recommendations that did not pass. Let me use this opportunity to further appreciate and reassure Nigerians that we are sensitive to their feelings and that we are likely going to revisit some of the issues they are concerned about when we return from our vacation.
“Some of the issues did not scale through because there is need for fuller understanding as well as more consultations and consensus building on them and their implications for our people. “No doubt, your studies on South-east were right because the region is indeed highly challenged, especially in the areas of transport infrastructure such as roads, railway, seaport. We are also challenged in the areas of power. “Th at is why we in the Committee on Constitution Review believe we mean well when we talk about things like devolution of powers. Our view is that some of these things should be moved from the Exclusive List to the Concurrent List so that while the Federal Government is making eff orts, the States too will be making eff orts either individually or in clusters or partnership with one another,” he added.
Earlier in her remarks, the Team Leader of PERL, Dr. Ode, commended the National Assembly for voting in favour of autonomy for Local Governments and state Houses of Assembly, while also calling for greater support for gender mainstreaming and other amendments that would speed up national development. She said PERL and DFID were currently working to address infrastructural defi cits that impede the business environment in the South-east and sought the support of the Deputy Senate President towards convening political leaders of the region to discuss issues that would aid the region’s development.
