Niger Delta
Clark Backs Calls For Restructuring
President Muhammadu Buhari has been advised to begin the process of restructuring Nigeria to enable its component units own and manage their resource in line with the spirit of true federalism.
The Leader of Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief Edwin Clark gave the advice while speaking at the First Annual Lecture / Award on the occassion of the 10th Anniversary of National Point Newspaper held at Hotel Presidential, Port Harcourt.
Clark who was the chairman of the occasion condemned alleged neglect, lack of development, marginalization and non industrialisation of Niger Delta region by the Federal government despite its enormous contributions to the economic growth of Nigeria, stressing that Abuja was built with crude oil money from the Niger Delta region.
He also decried what he described as lopsided appointments into Federal Boards and Parastatals in favour of the North by the Federal Government and called for a review, noting that there is nine members on Board of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and six of them are from the North while the rest three come from different parts of the country among others. He urged stakeholders in Niger Delta region unite and come together to fight a common cause, saying that in the next few decades, western countries would obandoned Niger Delta Oil and nobody would buy it.
“Today we are the producers of the resource of this country, one would have thought that Nigerians will love us, but Nigeria hates US. In the next 20 years, nobody will buy crude oil again.
Then Nigeria will blame us for not developing the Niger Delta. In 2019 election, an presidential candidate who did not talk of restructuring Nigeria, will not be our candidate. Non-restructuring will kill Nigeria”.
He commended the Executive Director of National Point Newspaper, Ibiba Don Pedro for her vision and patriotism, noting that she had used her journalism profession, to fight for the freedom of Niger Delta people from the shackles of oppression, and marginalisation.
Also speaking, one time President of Ijaw National Congress (INC), Professor Kimse Okoko aligned himself with the position of Chief Edwin Clark and called for total restructuring of the nation in line with the spirit of true federalism.
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