That Demand For More Oil Wells

Not a few persons were taken aback
when some national dailies went to
town with stories of a demand for 65 per cent of oil wells to be given to persons from the Niger Delta. Interestingly, the reason according to the proponents is to facilitate rapid development of the region.
The leadership of nearly all the Houses of Assembly in the South-South and South-East geo-political zones met in Owerri to deliberate on a number of issues of common interest. They decided  to make laws against the proposed National Grazing plan and deemed it fit to ask the Federal Government to change the ownership structure of oil wells in Nigeria.
Although, they did not state the basis on which they came by the percentage they are asking, they thought that the Niger Delta should possess, at least 65 per cent of oil wells instead of the 10 per cent currently held by the whole South. They also did not state if their demand was the current stand by the southern leaders.
The Tide thinks that the lawmakers meant well for the regions, but their suggestions clearly negate the stand of the people on the concerns in the Niger Delta. Being leaders of that calibre, it may be wrong to ask if they are following the current trend of events across the nation. But we are tempted to ask.
A cursory look at the dailies would show that Nigerians across the various divides appear to have come to a consensus that the only way to go is the restructuring of Nigeria. It has become clear to many that to do otherwise is to continue to beg the question and deny Nigeria her due peace and development..
Before anybody or group takes seriously this demand, the leadership and people of the Niger Delta must disown that 65 per cent oil well demand. With utmost respect, the lawmakers must be told that the interest of the region is not in transferring wealth from some individuals in the North to others in the South.
It must also be made clear that the issues have gone beyond the facilitation of development in the Niger Delta. More than 50 years of nationhood, even with a subsisting Willinks Commission Report, Nigeria has been unable to develop the Niger Delta region. It is still incapable of doing so under the current order.
It is sad that with the establishment of Oil Mineral Producing Area Development Commission (OMPADEC) that later became Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Nigeria made no impact in the region. This is in addition to the much envied derivation fund as well as the creation of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs at the federal level.
Time and again, institutional flaws in the governance of the country have been exposed, but Nigeria prefers to live a lie and endanger the peace and enjoyment of her citizens. Also, the panacea to the attendant conflicts has been eminently canvassed. But the failure to adopt same will not cease to amaze the world. In fact, Nigeria will do everything, but avoid the right solution.
It is this culture of pandering to the wishes of some influential few in Nigeria that is making some persons agitate for their own country. A situation where the interest of Nigerians as expressed in a National Conference Report would be jettisoned by a small interest group is scandalous. If the people elect persons in government, who should thwart the demands of the people?
But in Nigeria, even persons that claim to represent the people would be used against the best interest of the people. Instead of aligning with the best cause, respectable persons would play politics, generate conflicting issues to confuse the process and ultimately return the country to the murky waters.
We don’t want any more conflicting ideas. Our lawmakers must align with the patriots who insist that the only viable conclusion is for Nigeria to become a true federation. Period.