THE POSITION OF NIGER DELTA SELF-DETERMINATION MOVEMENT ON ATIKU-OBI AS THE PDP PRESIDENT/VICE PRESIDENT CANDIDATES.
Over the years we have become convinced that Nigeria should be restructured if Nigeria will stay on as a Nation, at peace and develop.
We believe that the 1960 and 1963 Constitutions was the system that delivered on federalism. Over centralization of power will continue to deny the people and states the development they desire.
Corruption, lack of accountability, insecurity, organized crimes, terrorism, human rights abuse, attacks on Christians across Nigeria, dis regard of the rule of law, are all fall out of the military rule, the unitary system so favored by the Cabal that have held Nigeria hostage.
We reject the the Federal Arrangements that favor a few Nigerians while denying majority of Nigerians especially the Niger Delta people and region.
We have no doubt that Nigeria is on a high speed train that will soon hit the highest speed limit going down a slippery slop, the train has no break.
The election of 2019 will make or break Nigeria as we know it.
For Nigeria to hold on as a nation, Nigeria must have a president come 2019 who understands that Restructuring Nigeria is the way to federalism and only federalism will give us the desire to continue.
It is a fact that Restructuring does not mean different things to different ethnic nationalities, states or geo political regions. The people and politicians who claim not to understand Restructuring are not truthful.
They do understand that Restructuring will take away from the few of them and the system they have used and manipulated against the majority of the people.
They know that only Restructuring will deliver true peace, Liberty, Equity, Justice and the right pace of development to all, in other words Federalism and Self Determination.
The agitation to Restructure Nigeria started after the 1914 amalgamation.
The British government in its desperation to sustain the amalgamation adopted all forms of Military repressions and the amalgamated Nigeria was split into Northern, Western, and Eastern regions for ease of colonial control. The Colonial government structured all sorts of different peoples who had nothing and still have nothing in common other than the fact that some internal and external forces believe that Nigeria must be held together no matter the consequences.
The beginning of the call to restructure Nigeria was at the 1950 National Conference at Ibadan, when Oba Adesoji Aderemi, the Ooni of Ife asked for the merging of Ilorin and Kabba provinces into the then Western Region.
The call to restructure Nigeria was sustained with the demand for the creation of the Middle Belt from the North, the Mid-West from the West, and the Okoja-Rivers State from the East. The demand for geo-political Restructuring, Political Power Restructuring started nearly 60 years ago. Unitary Government instead of federalism have held Nigeria down, instead of bitting the bullet and doing the right thing for the Nigeria politicians convene several Constitutional Conferences to buy time for some to continue to own Nigeria and her people as their personal property.
The British knew that the demand for geo political restructuring will eventually lead to war, cleverly and eventually granted Nigeria Independence though the North was vehemently against it.
The Adaka Boro war, military coups and counter coups, the Ojukwu secession and the 3 years civil war, the non violent agitation of Ken Sara Wiwa for the Ogoni people, the armed agitation for Justice by the Niger Delta people, the Boko Haram terrorists affiliated to ISIS, the land grabbing and genocide by herdsmen across Nigeria should not be a surprise to the British Government, they set in motion what have become of the geographical Nigeria they created one hundred and four years ago.
The Niger Delta Self Determination Movement (NDSDM) see the Restructuring of Nigeria as a task that must be done. Restructuring is the only medicine for Nigeria if the the desire of Nigerians is to remain as a Country.
The North and South were amalgamated to the detriment of the Ethnic Nationalities of the Niger Delta, and have been manipulated, cheated and denied development, political inclusion and rights to their resources since 1960.
Restructuring will put an end to the unacceptable process of revenue sharing mentality and allow the federation units (the 36 states) to own and develop the resources in their state and or regional and pay agreed tax to the Federal Government to enable the Federal Government under take services it clearly is responsible for.
The NDSDM believe that the states are the federating units, and the states rather than the federal government should decide how they function, this should be achieved with agreed written constitution by the states of the zones or regions. A restructured Nigeria will write a new constitution for herself where “we the people” will participate in the writing of the constitution.
Devolution of powers will give to the Federal Government only those powers that relate to items specifically belonging to the Federal as will be agreed upon by the Federal Government and the federating units.
The federating units (States and the ethnic nationalities of the states) should have the right and freedom to make the decisions that best works for their development, security and happiness.
Local Governments functions and their creations should be the vested rights of the people of the federating units (states).
A minimum of 60% of Taxes and all income generated by the states should be for the states. The resources in states should belong to the states, Be they mineral or solid resources, this brings us to the issue of the entitlement of littoral states to offshore resources. The extension of the rights from the continental shelf, to the states and to the federal government.
While the NDSDM understand the sentiments behind the statement that the unity of Nigeria is non negotiable, we are equally perplexed that the proponents of that statement are like the proverbial ostrich sticking its head in the sand. NDSDM while not advocating for a break up of Nigeria (as yet) we do not accept that the Niger Delta states, Region, people and their future should be sacrificed for Nigeria that does not want to do the right and just things for all her citizens.
We recommend that the PDP and their candidate team of Atiku/Obi for the 2019 to commit not only to Restructuring but to commit to the Report of the 2014 National Conference.
We believe it is unfair, unjust and unacceptable that the Niger Delta is blackmailed with the claim that we are few in number, based on unverifiable census figures that gives undue advantage to certain parts of Nigeria where we are equal partners, while others have monopolized economic, political powers and security powers in Nigeria. We will not continue to accept that the resources is taken from our land, we suffer the dangerous devastation that comes with the exploration and others who don’t appreciate our pathetic plight control our wealth.
The Presidential ticket for the 2019 elections is zoned to the North of Nigeria of 19 states of 3 geo political zones. This means the North will decide which northern son they will support in either political party and our role as the electorate is to vote for a Northern/Muslim candidate of our choice as neither the APC or the PDP choose a Christian as a presidential candidate.
Based on our needs and desires in the Niger Delta we have to make a well accessed choice. The candidate we choose will be based on
What is in the best interest of the Niger Delta people, Region, Development and security.
Where does the candidate stand on Restructuring Nigeria.
What is the level of commitment of the candidate of the time line to restructure Nigeria.
The NDSDM believe we must work with our Governors to achieve what is in the very best interest of Niger Delta, and we therefore call on all the 6 Niger Delta Governors to put the 6 States, the Region and the Ethnic Nationalities they have governed for 4years and hope to govern from 2019 to 2023 FIRST.
Niger Delta matters, Niger Delta First, Niger Delta Must Survive.
The NDSDM have decided that the Atiku/Obi ticket is the best that is available to us in 2019
The NDSDM agree totally with Gov Wike of Rivers States who said that he will not support a candidate that won’t support Restructuring. We have seen and hear Atiku say he is for Restructuring, based on Gov. Wike’s position and along with him we will take that chance and give him our block vote.
Before the elections of 2019 February 18th a lot more work needs to be done.
A lot of discussions should be held quickly, agreements reached and undertaken signed.
Our votes combined with our resources will make a great difference in the 2019 elections, irrespective of the fear, terror, insecurity, blackmail, lies and planned violence.
The NDSDM is very concerned that the 2019 elections is unlikely to be Free, Fair and Transparent, but we continue to raise our voice to encourage our people to vote their conscience as our future, peace and development depend on the right thing our people and politicians do in February 2019.
The NDSDM is committed and determined that we must create the right change for our people, communities, LGAS, States and Region.
NIGER DELTA MATTER.
OUR VOTE COUNT AND MUST BE COUNTED,
THE VOICE OF THE NIGER DELTA MUST BE HEARD IN THE 2019 ELECTIONS.
OUR RESOURCES IS NOT IGNORED.
WE WILL NOT BE IGNORED.
Annkio Briggs
Convener
NDSDM
