Niger Delta Leaders Give FG Three Months To Restructure Nigeria

Niger Delta leaders have issued a three-month ultimatum to the
Federal Government to restructure the country and convene a
national dialogue comprising representatives of ethnic groups in
order to chart a new course for the country.

This position was contained in a communique issued at the end of
a South-South zonal conference held in Port Harcourt, the Rivers
State capital, on Friday.

The conference which has critical stakeholders and
representatives of ethnic nationalities in the region was organised
by the Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development in
partnership with Agape Birthrights Development Initiative.

Elder statesman and Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark, was
represented at the event by Chief Obiuwevbi Ominimini who read his
address. Others also at the conference include career diplomat and
Nigeria’s former Ambassador to Czechoslovakia, Dr Godknows Igali;
and the National Chairman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, Senator
Emmanuel Ebok-Essien.

While restating the urgent need for restructuring and devolution
of more powers to states, they said oppressive and repressive
tendencies against the Niger Delta region and its people would no
longer be tolerated and urged the apex government to stop selling
out their resources to the Chinese and others.

The stakeholders cutting across the nine states of the region
said at the expiration of the three months deadline, the Niger
Delta people will commence the process that will guarantee their
freedom and progress.

The communique was read by prominent Niger Delta activist and
President of Agape birthrights development Initiative, Ms. Ann
Kio-Brigss partly stated, “We the people of the Niger Delta hereby
give the Government of Nigeria a three months window, within which
to cordially address our concerns towards re-federalizing the
polity, by convening a national dialogue of the representatives of
the ethnic groups in Nigeria to chart a new course for the
country.

“At the expiration of this three months window, we the people of
the Niger Delta will commence the process that will guarantee our
freedom and progress.

“Our people should mobilize all human resources to see that
fiscal federalism and devolution of powers are includes in the
constitution. There should be internal justice amongst us- charity
begins at home.

“We the people of the Niger Delta hereby reaffirm their
commonality, unity and oneness despite our multi-ethnic
diversities.

“The Niger Delta people who are the breadwinners of Nigeria,
demand to be heard and fairly, treated with equity by the
oppressive Nigerian State, and by extension, the insensitive
Nigerian political class, as the only basis for peaceful
co-existence.

“We the people of the Niger Delta demand restructuring, with the
states as the federating units and devolution of more powers to the
states

“We the ethnic nationalities of the south-south, affirm the
right of peoples to self-determination and to fully control their
resource to stop and put an end to further deprivation and
despoliation of their environment which they have suffered in the
last 60 years.

“The people of the Niger Delta will take all lawful measures to
develop an agenda for freedom and liberation and development of the
region.

“The Niger Delta ethnic nationalities hereby demand that the
Governors of the South-South immediately set up security outfits in
their respective states and network with each other in the region
to protect our territories against terrorists, criminals, land
grabbers and other criminals who often operate as bandits and
kidnappers.

“Niger Deltans demand that the Governors of the South-South
region immediately set up community based defence forces in all
Local Government Areas of the South-South.

“The ethnic nationalities of the Niger Delta demand the Federal
Government of Nigeria to immediately discontinue the selective
appointments, posting and deployment of mainly non-middle-belt and
Southern Nigerian security officials to the Niger Delta to the
oppression of our people.

“The Niger Delta demands equal representation, control and
headship of all relevant security and military organizations in the
country. The Niger Delta demands and expresses the desire for a
provision in the Nigerian constitution for the exercise of the
inalienable right to self-determination through a referendum in
line with international laws.

“The Niger Delta demands total ownership rights to lands,
natural resources, seas and waters by communities wherever such is
located in the region.

“The Niger Delta has resolved to put an end to all oppressive
and repressive tendencies by the Nigerian State against our region
and warns that we shall no longer tolerate same from other
nationalities.”

Niger Delta leaders have issued a three-month ultimatum to the
Federal Government to restructure the country and convene a
national dialogue comprising representatives of ethnic groups in
order to chart a new course for the country.

This position was contained in a communique issued at the end of
a South-South zonal conference held in Port Harcourt, the Rivers
State capital, on Friday.

The conference which has critical stakeholders and
representatives of ethnic nationalities in the region was organised
by the Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development in
partnership with Agape Birthrights Development Initiative.

Elder statesman and Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark, was
represented at the event by Chief Obiuwevbi Ominimini who read his
address. Others also at the conference include career diplomat and
Nigeria’s former Ambassador to Czechoslovakia, Dr Godknows Igali;
and the National Chairman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, Senator
Emmanuel Ebok-Essien.

While restating the urgent need for restructuring and devolution
of more powers to states, they said oppressive and repressive
tendencies against the Niger Delta region and its people would no
longer be tolerated and urged the apex government to stop selling
out their resources to the Chinese and others.

The stakeholders cutting across the nine states of the region
said at the expiration of the three months deadline, the Niger
Delta people will commence the process that will guarantee their
freedom and progress.

The communique was read by prominent Niger Delta activist and
President of Agape birthrights development Initiative, Ms. Ann
Kio-Brigss partly stated, “We the people of the Niger Delta hereby
give the Government of Nigeria a three months window, within which
to cordially address our concerns towards re-federalizing the
polity, by convening a national dialogue of the representatives of
the ethnic groups in Nigeria to chart a new course for the
country.

“At the expiration of this three months window, we the people of
the Niger Delta will commence the process that will guarantee our
freedom and progress.

“Our people should mobilize all human resources to see that
fiscal federalism and devolution of powers are includes in the
constitution. There should be internal justice amongst us- charity
begins at home.

“We the people of the Niger Delta hereby reaffirm their
commonality, unity and oneness despite our multi-ethnic
diversities.

“The Niger Delta people who are the breadwinners of Nigeria,
demand to be heard and fairly, treated with equity by the
oppressive Nigerian State, and by extension, the insensitive
Nigerian political class, as the only basis for peaceful
co-existence.

“We the people of the Niger Delta demand restructuring, with the
states as the federating units and devolution of more powers to the
states

“We the ethnic nationalities of the south-south, affirm the
right of peoples to self-determination and to fully control their
resource to stop and put an end to further deprivation and
despoliation of their environment which they have suffered in the
last 60 years.

“The people of the Niger Delta will take all lawful measures to
develop an agenda for freedom and liberation and development of the
region.

“The Niger Delta ethnic nationalities hereby demand that the
Governors of the South-South immediately set up security outfits in
their respective states and network with each other in the region
to protect our territories against terrorists, criminals, land
grabbers and other criminals who often operate as bandits and
kidnappers.

“Niger Deltans demand that the Governors of the South-South
region immediately set up community based defence forces in all
Local Government Areas of the South-South.

“The ethnic nationalities of the Niger Delta demand the Federal
Government of Nigeria to immediately discontinue the selective
appointments, posting and deployment of mainly non-middle-belt and
Southern Nigerian security officials to the Niger Delta to the
oppression of our people.

“The Niger Delta demands equal representation, control and
headship of all relevant security and military organizations in the
country. The Niger Delta demands and expresses the desire for a
provision in the Nigerian constitution for the exercise of the
inalienable right to self-determination through a referendum in
line with international laws.

“The Niger Delta demands total ownership rights to lands,
natural resources, seas and waters by communities wherever such is
located in the region.

“The Niger Delta has resolved to put an end to all oppressive
and repressive tendencies by the Nigerian State against our region
and warns that we shall no longer tolerate same from other
nationalities.”