‘Only True Federalism Can Resolve N’Delta Crisis’

A youth group in the oil-rich Niger Delta region, says no amount of negotiation between representatives of the region and the Federal Government would be able to restore lasting peace except the country adopts true federalism.
The group, Niger Delta Youth Coalition (NDYC), told The Tide last Saturday in an interview in Port Harcourt that, “just like what has been happening, these negotiations could only restore temporary peace but only true practice of federalism in its original context can bring lasting peace”.
The National Co-ordinator of NDYC, Prince Emmanuel Ogba, explained that “true federalism will guarantee resource control as being practiced in the advanced world and with the people controlling their resources, there will be nothing for any person to agitate for in such context.”
Ogba appealed to the National Assembly and the Presidency to set in motion, apparatus of the government that would ensure that true federalism is being practiced.
He said a situation where those in authority determine what gets to the federating states or unit was a crude way of viewing Federal System adding that until Nigeria moves away from such system, agitation in Niger Delta will persist.
“Today, oil is said to have been found in other parts of Nigeria outside Niger Delta and the agitation will spread to these areas, but if resource control as an economic aspect of Federal System is adopted, it will transverse all parts of the nation and all aspect of the nation’s wealth”, he maintained.