Solution to national problems is implementation of confab report —PANDEF

Dr Alfred MULADE, a member of the Central Working Committee (CWC) of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), in this interview with Ebenezer Adurokiya, bears the stance of the regional group on Arewa youths ultimatum handed THE Igbo to quit the North, the state of the nation and the albatross of restructuring the polity.

WHAT is the view of the pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), the umbrella group of the Niger Delta peoples on the quit notice handed the Igbo to vacate the North by the coalition of Arewa youths?

We are disturbed that the tension generated by the recent statement by 16 Arewa youth groups. It is more disturbing that this unguided action is being actively supported by some Northern elders, especially Professor Ango Abdullahi and his cohorts who have been vehement in defense of the Arewa youths.

It should be noted that this action coming only a few days after the Biafra sit-at-home call which reportedly recorded some compliance in the South-East, is a clear indication that all is not well with our dear country. And it is rather appalling, to say the least, that no definite action has been carried out by the Federal Government till date besides mere rhetorics.

What, in PANDEF’s opinion, do you think the FG should do concerning the quit notice issued by the Arewa youths?

PANDEF, outright condemns the Biafra sit – at – home call and the consistent demand by the Biafran agitators in clear terms. You’ll notice that in our last press statement signed by Obong Victor Attah, former Governor of Akwa Ibom State and co-chairman of Central Working Committee (CWC) of PANDEF, which was widely reported in the media, we advised the Federal Government to engage the Biafra agitators in dialogue, in order to bring the agitation to an end. We, therefore, consider the quit notice by the Arewa Youths as tragic and more treasonable than the offence allegedly committed by Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of IPOB for which he was incarcerated  for about a year.

Not only is this statement a potent threat to the corporate unity of the country as I have said earlier, but appears the most unpatriotic and dangerous statement ever made by any group to the unity and corporate existence of Nigeria, since the end of the Civil War, especially when viewed against the backdrop of the active collaboration of some eminent personalities including Professor Abdullahi and his like.

We maintain that this action strikes at the very roots of the corporate existence of our beloved country, which is guaranteed by the constitution of the country.

The Federal Government should, as in the case of Kanu, arrest, detain and prosecute these youths and their sponsors, for treasonable felony, with immediate effect, no matter how highly placed as, there must be no sacred cows.

People must know that every law-abiding Nigerian must be free to stay in any part of the country, without any form of molestation and discrimination; and must be each other’s brother’s keeper, in a Nigeria where no one is superior to the other; and where no one threatens to drive any other group of Nigerians away from any part of the country.

We take the view that this regrettably dangerous posture by the Northern Youths and their sponsor is unwittingly lending profound support to the demands of the Biafran agitators, which is totally unacceptable to any  patriotic Nigerian, and a flagrant violation of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

What’s PANDEF’s take on Prof Abdullahi’s assertion that money was sourced from the North to develop crude oil in the Niger Delta?

It’s quite unfortunate. PANDEF notes with disappointment the arrogantly provocative assertions by Professor Abdullahi to the effect that resources of the North were used to prospect and develop crude oil in the Niger Delta, and that the Southern part of the country  depended on the revenue generated from groundnut from the North for economic survival in the pre-independence era.

This is most misleading and an attempt to incite his ignorantly gullible Northern youths to cause disaffection and tension in the country. We have to restate here that the South- South dooes not form part of the said Biafra, as irresponsibly claimed by some Biafran agitators.

To put the records straight, however, large parts of the Niger Delta, at the time of the discovery of crude oil in 1956, was part of the Western Region, which was the wealthiest region in Nigeria. The Western Region was able to provide free education, established Television Station and constructed landmark infrastructures across the region, until the Midwest was carved out of it by a referendum, in 1963.

Similarly, Bayelsa, River, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states were part of the former Eastern Region which also did not depend on resources from the North, as arrogantly claimed by Abduallhi. Whilst the revenue of the Western Region came mainly from export of rubber and cocoa, the Eastern region generated its revenue substantially from export of palm produce and coal.

Several groups are asking for the adoption of the recommendations of the 2014 National Conference for the restructuring of the country. Is that the position of PANDEF too?

Absolutely, yes. PANDEF is convinced that the solution to the challenges that agitate us today are contained in the over 600 recommendations of the 2014 National Conference.

The wisdom of implementing the recommendations of that Conference cannot be over-emphasized. It is on record that during the 2014 National Conference, some prominent  Northern Delegates opposed the increase of Derivation Revenue Formula from 13 per cent to 25 per cent, but the Conference eventually recommended 18 per cent derivation for Oil Producing States.

In the same vein, the issue of Boko Haram was so disturbing that there was the need to establish a special fund for the development of the North East and the National Conference recommended five per cent of the Federation Account as an imperative of rebuilding the area ravaged by Boko Haram insurgency, tailored after the European Recovery Program popularly referred to as the “Marshal Plan” which was introduced by the United States (US) to help rebuild the devastated European countries, particularly  Germany, immediately after the Second World War. The five per cent for the North East and was, however, rejected by some prominent Northern delegates because Kano and Kaduna were not included in the list of benefitting states.

The good news now is that North East Development Commission has been created along the lines of the recommendations made by the 2014 National Conference without the inclusion of Kano and Kaduna states. It is rather disturbing that the recommendation for the increment of the derivation revenue formula from 13 per cent to 18 per cent remains unimplemented till date. This is one of the items in our (PANDEF) 16 – Point Agenda.