First Republic Information Commissioner and prominent Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark has explained why the Niger Delta is insisting on restructuring of the country.
In an interview published by Sunday Punch, the nonagenarian said the region was tired of being taken for granted by successive governments, especially the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
He lamented the situation where people of other regions dominate important positions in the nation’s oil industry while the Niger Delta which produces the oil grapples with little or no representation.
He said restructuring, which the Buhari government appears not to believe in, is the panacea to the nation’s underdevelopment.
Clark, who is a leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), said that restructuring would help fight the scourge of underdevelopment as it would promote healthy competition among the regions to develop using each region’s natural endowments.
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He said:
Listen, the people of the Niger Delta under PANDEF have taken a decision that the only way out for the people of the region is to restructure Nigeria.
When you restructure Nigeria, every region will develop its own resources, maintain its own resources and pay taxes to the Federal Government. That was what happened in 1953 – the Republican Constitution . At the end of the month, whatever you produce from the Niger Delta everybody goes cap in hand to go and share money in Abuja . That’ s not government ; that ’ s not what is called a federation . They are running a unitary government . That is why people are fighting for the position of the President . If the powers of the Federal Government are reduced and there is devolution of powers to the states , very few people will fight for the Presidency . We are saying that we in the Niger Delta are tired of promises being made. Let us manage our own assets .
To our annoyance , recently the President appointed board of directors for the NNPC, which is the engine house of the oil industry . Out of the nine – man board , six of them are northerners , including the Chief of Staff to the President . They don’ t produce a single drop of oil. South – West , which produces about five per cent (of crude oil) in Ondo State, got one member. The Niger Delta , which produces about 90 per cent , had only one member . The minister is a statutory body, he must head the place . Now, he (minister ) has no more power in controlling the NNPC because the President is the minister of petroleum and the GMD reports directly to him . So , the minister of state is floating . You now find that the South – East produces about five per cent from Imo and Abia states ; the region didn’ t get one single person appointed unto the board .
Is that the Nigeria that we all want – a country where some people are first – class citizens and others are second – class citizens? We cannot continue .
We now said , South – West , Afenifere ; South – East, Ohanaeze ; South – South , PANDEF; and the Middle Belt area , they joined us , that we will only vote for a presidential candidate that believes in the restructuring of Nigeria.
It is not that we hate Buhari but we cannot continue to suffer in the administration of Buhari because he has no regard for us .