By Aiyeku Timothy
South-south governors and other stakeholders from the geopolitical zone, on Tuesday, in Port Harcourt met with a presidential delegation led by the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari.
The South-south leaders in the meeting demanded a restructuring of the country to ensure “true federalism” and guarantee peace, security and stability of the country, adding that the headquarters of all subsidiaries of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) be relocated to the region.
The Chairman of the South-south Governors Forum and Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, made the presentation on behalf of the region during its stakeholders’ meeting with the presidential delegation.
Recall that an earlier meeting between the South-South leaders and the Federal Government was scheduled for November 17 to address burning national issues affecting the region and aftermath of the #EndSars protest but did not hold as the FG was not available, a development that did not go down well with the region’s leaders as they demanded an apology.
It was claimed that Gambari and some members of the delegation had to attend an emergency meeting of the National Security Council presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, in Abuja on the same day.
Okowa, who presided over the meeting, stated that the South-south geopolitical zone is a very important part of the nation and the governors feel insulted because the traditional rulers who had gathered for the meeting were not revered.
The presidency had apologised for the failure of the delegation to honour the scheduled meeting with governors and leaders of the zone and promised to contact them to reschedule the parley.
However, the meeting finally held on Tuesday with Okowa telling the presidential delegation that the South-south is committed to restructuring the country to guarantee “true federalism” and devolution of powers to the states to create and manage their police and security architecture under a federal structure.
The regional leaders in their demands called for the relocation of the headquarters of major oil companies, NNPC subsidiaries from Lagos and Abuja to the South-south region.
They also requested the immediate implementation of the consent judgment entered in the Supreme Court Suit No: SC/964/2016 to enable the South-south gets its share of $55 billion shortfalls of collection on deep offshore and inland basin production sharing contracts.
“True federalism’ guided by the principle of derivation, revenue sharing and control of resources by each state of the federation as it was the case in the first republic is what we want,” Okowa told the presidential delegation.
He added: “We are all aware of the huge endowment of this country. As such, it is imperative to stress that with a few efforts, imagination, hard work, sacrifice and leadership, every state of the federation as of today, has the ability and capability to contribute to the national purse. This should be encouraged rather than the whole country depending substantially on a region of the country.
“What is worse and even more painful in this ugly situation is the deliberate lack of understanding, empathy and the uncompromising attitudes of some Nigerians, who have refused to understand the challenges of the South-south region of the country, especially, the degradation of the environment and our waters.”
The governors called for the reconstruction, privatization and rehabilitation of the region’s major seaports in Port Harcourt, Calabar and Warri to enhance the economic development of the region.
In his remark, Gambari said the meeting was in response to the president’s mandate that the presidential delegation comprising all the ministers from the region to visit and consult the representatives of the people regarding the recent #EndSARS protest.
Gambari noted that reports indicated that there were instances where a breakdown of law and order was reported across various locations in the South-south states but expressed gratitude to the governors for their quick response in addressing the #EndSars protest in the region.
Those who attended the meeting were Governors Nyesom Wike (Rivers); Ben Ayade (Cross River); Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom); Douye Diri (Bayelsa) and Godwin Obaseki (Edo).
While the Minister of Transportation, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi was absent, Minister of Niger Delta, Senator Godswill Akpabio; Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva; Minister of State for Power, Mr Goddy Jeddy- Agba; Minister of State for Niger Delta, Mr Festus Keyamo (SAN); Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, and Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed were all in attendance.
Other eminent persons present were the National Chairman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga (rtd); former President, Nigerian Bar Association, Mr Onueze Okocha (SAN); and President, Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), worldwide, Mr Peter Igbifa, among others.
