Against the backdrop of reported scheming by the north to use the National Assembly to void the recommendations of the National Conference, the South-South delegates to the conference have warned that any attempt to scuttle the resolutions would be detrimental to the nation’s unity.
The delegates, including the former president of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP), Ledum Mitee, and President of Agape Birthright, Ann Kio-Briggs, said they were optimistic that if the conference produces a report reflecting the wishes and aspirations of a majority of Nigerians, those scheming to scuttle it would be doing so in vain.
Reacting to the reported plot by some northern delegates to scuttle the report, Mitee told The Guardian yesterday that it would be preposterous for anyone or group of people to attempt to scuttle the confab report because decisions were taken concerning constitutional amendment, legislative intervention and policy issues that ought to be beneficial to the entire country.
According to him, since the contentious derivation principle has been referred to the Presidency, it would be futile for anyone to want to scuttle the report after delegates’ painstaking efforts to move Nigeria forward.
“I am not worried about anyone attempting to scuttle the report. No one is losing sleep,” he said. “If we come out with recommendations and Nigerians feel they are things that will help our democracy, Nigerians themselves will counterbalance the effort of those who want to scuttle the report of the conference.”
Member of the confab’s devolution committee, Briggs, said it was quite disheartening that some delegates have worked assiduously to resist and thwart anything they perceived to be in the interest of the south at the confab. According to her, the stance of some northern delegates was not in the interest of the country.
“If they scuttle the conference report, it will not only affect the South-South and the rest of the south, they should bear in mind that the whole country will be adversely affected,” she said.
“Those plotting to scuttle the report should remember, too, that they are not the owners of Nigeria. We all own Nigeria. If they are resisting resource control and 50 percent derivation, what makes them think we will not resist the oil companies and the Federal Government’s access to the oil in our land?”
Briggs observed that those opposed to the conference have been manipulating delegates to abandon national interest for sectional objectives. She insisted that the only way to sustain Nigeria’s unity is through justice and equity.
She said the time has come for a section of the country to stop thinking that the rest of the country, particularly people from the nine oil producing states and Lagos, whose revenues are used to fend for the rest of the country, are a conquered people.
According to her, Niger Deltans are tired of being treated like second-class citizens irrespective of their huge financial contributions to the federation. She insisted that a situation where a state like Kano has 44 local councils but contributes nothing to the federation account whereas Bayelsa with eight local councils contributes immensely to federation account should prick the conscience of any well meaning Nigerian.
Briggs noted the need to address the structural imbalance of the Nigerian federation, stating that the north would not have 19 states at the detriment of the south, which is the nation’s economic mainstay. The Guardian
