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Clark Tackles APC On Restructuring
South-South Leader, Chief Edwin Clark, has called on the All Progressives Congress (APC) to come out of its closet on restructuring.
According to him, it is insulting to Nigerians for the ruling party to pretend not to know the meaning of restructuring, a word etched in its constitution.
Clark, the convener and national leader of Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), the umbrella body of monarchs, leaders and stakeholders of the coastal states of Niger Delta, who spoke to newsmen in an interview in Abuja said it was even more scandalous that the APC inaugurated a committee supposedly to authenticate the denotation of restructuring.
He said: “They are playing the role of politicians that people hardly trust that is the role APC is playing. Why will they not know the meaning of restructuring when they deliberately put it in their manifesto before the last election?
“If they are not able to do it now, they should tell Nigerians that they no longer believe in it, but to go the extent of setting up a committee under the governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasiru el-Rufai, who does not believe in restructuring, who insulted eminent Nigerians, branding them opportunists for speaking their minds on restructuring, is unflattering.
“Former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon spoke his mind on restructuring. What does he want in Nigeria? Can somebody say Gowon is an opportunist, somebody who ruled this country for nine years and is living a very simple life? What does he want? He is now in his 80s.
“The same thing was said by former Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida. What does he want from anybody? He spoke his mind, he said this country needs restructuring, devolution of power. He spelt them out, he did not just say restructuring, he knew what he was saying and even if he never believed in it before, now that he believes in it, he has come out with it.
“The former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar shared same view. He has been a champion of restructuring, has been saying it, holding lectures on it and never faltered. Everything Atiku is talking about restructuring is what we recommended at the 2014 National Conference.
“All Atiku is saying is that we want to reorganize the structure of this country because of the future, the economy of this country and to move Nigeria forward.
“So, why should a young man as El-Rufai say that those talking about restructuring are opportunists? He is very rude; Gowon could be his father. For anybody in this country to say that he does not understand what restructuring means is an insult to Nigeria and those who believe in it.
‘’I can understand why El-Rufai is insulting people because he has his grouse with the former Vice President of Nigeria, Atikui Abubakar.
“But the young man should learn a lesson, that you are governor of a state is not all in all. ‘APC should speak the truth’.
“Coming back, APC should speak the truth, it cannot carry Nigeria along with them if they begin to engage in this. I am surprised that Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, who was a NADECO man, a progressive, will turn round and be dancing round the word ‘restructuring’. He believed in it, he was with Bola Tinubu and NADECO in those days. They were all progressives.’’
Dismissing anxiety about restructuring, the elder statesman said: “There has been restructuring since the colonial days. Why did we have the London Conference of 1953? The conference was based on restructuring.
“The Macpherson Constitution was also a product of restructuring, same with the Richards Constitution of 1947, the 1960 Independent Constitution is restructuring, just as the 1963 Constitution is restructuring.
“All we are saying is: Let us to go back to the 1960 and 1963 constitutions, which provided for a real federation, that is true fiscal federalism, which provides that whatever resources exist in a region, 50 per cent should be retained by that region to develop its own area and the remaining 50 per cent should be shared in such a way that the Federal Government should have 20 per cent, the next 30 per cent shared among the remaining regions.
“Again, each region had its own constitution and was developing at its own pace. For instance, Western Nigeria became self-governing in 1959 when the North was not ready.
“When the military took over, it was said that Ironsi returned the country to a unitary form of government like what existed during Richards Constitution and the northerners said no, the regions must stay, power must remain with the regions, and that is why they said they staged the coup, but nothing changed, all that is restructuring”.
“General Gowon created 12 states in 1967, which is restructuring, the creation of more states by ex-Heads of State, the late General Murtala Mohammed, Babangida and the late General Sani Abacha are all restructuring.
“I am happy that the former chairman of APC, Bisi Akande, said there is need for restructuring, that this constitution cannot take us anywhere, he said so. So, as far as I am concerned, this country needs restructuring, power must devolve to the states or regions.
“Local governments should be the affairs of the states, a situation where Kano State has 44 local governments, Jigawa 27, which if combined is about the total number of local governments in South-South or South-East is unthinkable. So, these are things that should be adjusted.
“Those who are against restructuring are those who do not want fiscal federalism to be practiced, they do not want us to go back to what we used to be in the past, that is why we walked out in 2005 during the National Confab. We walked out and in our absence, they recommended 18 per cent. Today, nobody refers to it.
“Then, in the 2014 National Conference, nine years after, one thought that they would have known how the operation of oil affects the life of the people of the Niger Delta, but they did not. They believe that they have been receiving allocation from the Federation Account and should continue to receive it, that is why they are against restructuring.
“They are not against it because of any other thing, which is why they say that those who want restructuring are enemies of the north. That is not true. The 2014 National Conference was attended by northerners, and they all signed the document.
“There were 23 committees; the northerners had 12 chairmen, so why do they turn round to say that they do not believe in the recommendations of that conference?
“We must be sincere with one another. Nigeria belongs to all of us, let us do what is right to keep this country together. People ask whether the unity of Nigeria is negotiable; why is it not negotiable? If we agree to stay together, we must also discuss how to stay together for everybody to be happy.”
However, in his reaction, the APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, said the elder statesman must have been misinformed about his position on the issue.
Speaking through the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party chairman said the fact that APC has set up a committee to articulate its position on restructuring should not be misconstrued to mean that it had no understanding of the concept.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has described the ongoing construction of the brand new 13.52-kilometre Ngo-Atlantic-Oyorokoto Road as a bold and visionary effort by his administration to open up the coastal region for economic growth and harness the full potential of the state’s blue economy.
The Governor made this remark during an inspection visit to the project site in Andoni Local Government Area. The road, being constructed by Monier Construction Company (MCC), cuts through challenging coastal terrain and leads to a newly identified beachfront facing the Atlantic Ocean.
Governor Fubara explained that while the original plan was to construct a road leading to Oyorokoto Town and its popular beach, his administration decided to expand the project to create an entirely new route that would open access to another pristine beachfront.
“We are doing another inspection today. This particular one is a virgin road, 13.52 kilometres of a new pathway to the blue economy,” Governor Fubara stated.
“Initially, we were constructing a road to Oyorokoto Beach, one of the finest tourist centres in this area. But as we progressed, we discovered another beach directly facing the Atlantic Ocean. It became clear that we shouldn’t limit development to just one site. We want to harness this new beach front as part of our broader plan to develop the blue economy.”
The Governor emphasised that the project, once completed, will not only improve access to coastal communities but also stimulate tourism and economic activities, boosting revenue for Rivers State.
Describing the area’s difficult terrain as challenging, he commended the contractor for its dedication, and expressed confidence that the road would be completed and commissioned by March next year.
“You can see for yourself, it’s a brand-new road in a very difficult terrain, just like the one we saw yesterday. But I strongly believe we will overcome it. From what we’ve seen today, the contractor, MCC, is doing their best, and by next year, hopefully by March, we’ll have the cause to commission this project and give God all the glory,” the Governor affirmed.
Governor Fubara also visited Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area to assess the progress of work on the Epellema axis of the ongoing 5.2km Kalaibiama-Epellema road project featuring a 450-meter bridge.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has expressed satisfaction with the level of progress recorded on the ongoing Trans-Kalabari Road project, revealing that about 75 percent of the critical piling work has been completed.
Governor Fubara made this known while addressing journalists after an on-the-spot inspection of the 12.5-kilometre road project, which will connect the state capital to several Kalabari communities across the sea.
The Governor rode on a boat from a jetty at Rumuolumeni in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area through the rivers and creeks on the project route during the inspection.
The project was awarded to Lubrik Construction Company Limited, on May 15, 2024, with an initial 32-month completion timeline.
The Governor said the visit was aimed at verifying reports from the Ministry of Works regarding the project’s advancement. He commended the contractors for their dedication, and described the progress as “a true reflection of hard work and commitment to excellence.”
“The first phase of the project takes us to Bakana, and features four major river-crossing bridges and nearly five deck-on-pile structures. The terrain is difficult, and the engineering work required is complex. But to the glory of God, I can confirm that the reports I’ve been receiving are accurate. Almost 75% of the piling job, which is the most critical part of the project, has been achieved,” Governor Fubara said.
He emphasised that the Trans-Kalabari Road is one of the most technically demanding infrastructure projects in the state due to its challenging marine terrain but reaffirmed his administration’s resolve to deliver it on schedule.
Governor Fubara highlighted the strategic importance of the road in connecting the Kalabari Kingdom to Port Harcourt, and stimulating economic growth across riverine communities.
“This is a key project that will turn around the lives of the Kalabari people immediately it is concluded. By the grace of God, in the next six months, if we return here for inspection, we might be driving across the bridge,” he said.
Governor Fubara assured Rivers people that his administration remains focused on delivering transformative infrastructure projects that will improve lives and bring lasting development to rural communities.
“We have made a promise to our people to embark on projects that will change lives and bring development, and this is a testament to that commitment,” he added.
The Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, says that the impact of flooding and erosion on the inhabitants of Rivers State, especially those living in coastal communities, are of great concerns to the government.
Governor Fubara lamented the consequences of flood on both human and biotic life, which sometimes lead to loss of life, property, and degradation of the environment.
The Governor made the remark in Port Harcourt during the launch of a book titled, ‘Coastal Zone Flooding And Erosion in Developing Communities, Principles, Cases and Strategies,” written by Emeritus Prof. Wiston Bell-Gam.
According to the Governor, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Hon. Benibo Anabraba, his administration, would continue to undertake and encourage adaptation strategies to combat flooding.
In his words: “The Rivers State Government will continue to undertake and encourage adaptation strategies, such as construction of seawalls and breakers, canals and channels, restoring coastal ecology and ecosystem for coastal resilience and where necessary, the relocation of communities on the coastline.
“These issues are currently receiving the much needed attention and intervention by the recent approval of the construction of shoreline protection along the coastlines of more than five communities in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni and Opobo/Nkoro LGAs respectively.”
“It is important that as stakeholders in the protection and preservation of marine environment, we all act and advocate for mitigation strategies such as reduction in emission of Green House Gasses that causes climate change and rise in sea levels. Let us promote the use of clean energy and against fossil fuel.
Governor Fubara further cautioned residents to desist from building on waterways.
“We also need to encourage our people to stop developing buildings on and along natural water courses, indiscriminate sea mining and dredging activities on our coastline without consideration for mangroves and swamps,” he stressed.
He appreciated the author for his advanced contributions to the body of knowledge in both Rivers State and globally.
Also speaking, a former Military Governor of the old Rivers State and Amayanabo of Twon Brass, King Alfred Ditte-Spiff, who was Royal Father at the Event, stated that the book was timely to enable stakeholders manage the challenges of global warming.
“Global warming is real. If it’s not addressed globally, a time will come coastal areas will find themselves under water. The coastline of Nigeria is shocking with many mangroves gone,” he noted.
The Reviewer of the Book, who is also the Vice Chancellor of Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Ondo State, Prof Temi Ologunorisa, explained that the 14-chapter book is timeous as it fills literary gaps between desire and available knowledge on coastal flood and erosion in developing communities.,
“A major beauty of the book that sets it apart is the detailed consideration of flood and erosion control from around the world,” he stated, adding that the book is based on detailed field investigation.