Elders from the Niger Delta have called for true federalism as the only holistic approach of addressing rising tension in the country.
The elders also demanded increased derivation accruing to the region from 13 to 50 per cent to immediately address developmental imbalance.
The Coordinator, Niger Delta Elders and Leaders Forum (NDELF), Chief Mike Loyibo, said the people were no longer interested in Federal Government’s palliatives and ‘’cosmetic peace’’ approach in the region.
Loyibo, who is also a frontline member of the Niger Delta Dialogue Group (NDDG), maintained that only comprehensive approach would address injustices in the country and ensure sustainable peace especially in the Niger Delta.
Speaking in an interview in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, yesterday, following his conferment of an Urhobo chieftaincy title of ‘Otuyota’ (the bearer of truth), Loyibo said palliatives had only given births to different groups of agitators.
The chief, who received his chieftaincy title from His Royal Majesty Edward Otadaferua, Erhiekvwe I, Ovie of Idjerhe Kingdom, Delta State, said it was high time states were allowed to control their resources.
He said: ‘’In the Niger Delta, we want true federalism; we want derivation to increase from 13 per cent to 50 per cent; we want the infrastructure in the region to be upgraded to the standard of Abuja and Lagos, we want schools, hospitals, roads and empowerment, among others.
‘’We are averse to cosmetic peace approach by the government. We have a situation, for instance, when there are bombings, the government comes and deceives you with one approach and you will forget your agitations.
‘’After that one, there will be another set of freedom fighters that will come and fight for a better deal for the area. So, what we want is, if you address and turn the Niger Delta to Abuja and Lagos standards, it is we the leaders that will even help the Federal Government to identify the troublemakers in the area.
‘’Good things do not hide; your development will swallow every pocket of criminal aspects in the struggle. That is why we do not want cosmetic peace. We insist on a holistic approach by solving the problem once and for all. By so doing, there will be peace, growth and development of the Niger Delta.’’
Loyibo argued that true federalism would allow states to develop using their resources and pay designated taxes to the Federal Government.
“During that era, the West was producing cocoa and paying tax to the Federal Government and the North, groundnut and they were paying tax to the government and that is true federalism.
‘’We must restructure Nigeria for every section to develop at their own place. That is the thinking of the ordinary people that I represent in the Niger Delta.
‘’We are concerned about the environmental problems, the economic problem, the infrastructure problem and even the political problem.
‘’We want to be seen to be actually involved because we are not second class citizens; anywhere in the world, we are first class citizens and Nigeria belongs to all of us. All of us are equal people, there is no part that can intimidate any other”, he said.
Loyibo further said governors and leaders from the region would soon converge to prepare a peace document, which would be forwarded to the Federal Government for quick implementation.
He acknowledged that the region was bedeviled with leadership problems, which had equally contributed to underdevelopment of the Niger Delta.
He said: ‘’Generally, our political leaders have not done enough and they need to see this place as their priorities. We have been urging them to step up so that they can leave legacies and do enduring projects for the people”.
