The controversial meeting between south south stakeholders and the presidency finally held yesterday. It was concluded and heralded with the usual rethorics associated with same south south leaders who have continued to underdevelop the region. Apart from few, majority of those who received the presidency on behalf of south south are failed leaders, wicked rulers and selfish statesmen.
They are largely responsible for the deplorable and decayed situation of the region. They live large at the detriment of their states and LGAs. They are the so called stakeholders.
The presidency, made the agenda of the meeting known even before the earlier botched meeting. The agenda is simply to take an appraisal of the post EndSARS protest. That perhaps should be the directive of Mr President.Nothing less, nothing more.
In an attempt to play mind game with our people and pretend to fight for Niger Delta transformation, and score cheap political popularity, the failed governors of south south decided to present a communiqué which was noble agenda but submitted to the wrong authority.
I agree with the items on the communiqué. But I vehemently disagree with the receiving authority. The presidency will not take a second look at such a wrongly submitted document.
Is it that the south south governors are ignorant of the procedure and process of the working of a government and altercation of policies? Or did they simply chose to pour water on the back of the duck, knowing too well, that the water will be an effort in futility. Don’t the south south governors know that most of the items mentioned in the communiqué can only become and stand as a law through the debates, submission and bills enacted by the national assembly?
When has the presidency become national assembly where bill and laws with regards to resource control, restructuring, IOC operations, fiscal federalism, security and other sundry activities are enacted? Does the President has the powers and authority to alter the famous dubious 1999 Constitution, which has mitigated and sabotaged the rights and resources of Niger Delta people?
Moreover, on political consideration, because Nigeria is designed to respond politically to all issues, the south south states are controlled by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), while the Presidency is controlled by the All Progressive Congress(APC). Based on the dubious political configuration of Nigeria presently, do you think the APC led federal governmental will be magnanimous enough to approve and execute the wrongly submitted memoranda of the south south stakeholders?
All south south states have at least three senators each and 12 House of Representative members each at the national assembly.
They have between 20 and 32 members each at the state houses of assembly. The have hundred of councillors across the six south south states. These are lawmakers with the primary assignment to legislate and enact laws for the well being and development of the region.
If the governors are honest with their demands, they should use the law makers who are the right channel for policy regulation and revolution. They are the authentic and fastest channel to push and kickstart the south south agenda. Attempting otherwise is playing the ostrich, and sustained hiding of face in the sand, while the whole body is in public glare.
In my view, the governors, traditional rulers who are stooges to the governors and the other so-called stakeholders, who never spoke out during the meeting succeeded in wasting opportunity to explain how the region was devastated by the aftermath of the #EndSARs protest.
Maybe, they were more interested in jamboree than reality.
From Calabar, where massive looting and destruction of government establishments and personal property was unprecedented, to Oyigbo in Rivers where IPOB and Hausas shot, burnt and killed themselves in the presence of security personnel.
In Edo State there was a controversial prison break in Benin, which let loose on the streets and neighborhood condemned criminals and hoodlums. Today, people are being robbed, killed and kidnapped everyday in Benin. Warris in Delta also had their tale of woes.
Critical issues bordering on the lives and immediate security protection of our people as we approach the Yuletide was flagrantly ignored by the south south stakeholders.
Now that the August visitors has left with the wrongly submitted memoranda. I call on the governors to resubmit the memoranda to the authentic recipients – the lawmakers. I suggest a convocation of mini south south regional conference. All south south lawmakers – senators, representatives, assembly members and councillors will be mandated to push and lobby the memoranda to its successful enactment as laws of the federal republic of Nigeria.
It is then, that I will shout out loud to the governors ….hossana, hossana…blessed is the womb that bore you to the south south.
ON AMAECHI’S ABSENCE
Chief Chibike Rotimi Amaechi is busy with his assignment, which is to connect Nigeria with Niger by rail.
Apologies to South South people on the absence of the minister of transportation.
However, he is a member of the federal executive council. He is also a critical part of the presidency, as the two term DG of Buhari campaign organization. He is deeply involved in the issues of development of the railway line from Daura to Maradi in Niger republic so that his brother Silva can transport petroleum products conveniently to the president’s maternal grandmothers.
