•We will now demand 50%, says PANDEF·

•It’s an invitation to chaos- Ijaw National Congress

The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) and the apex Ijaw socio-cultural and political body, the Ijaw National Congress (INC), have frowned at moves by some northern lawmakers to scrap the 13 per cent derivation paid to oil-producing states in the Niger Delta

The Niger Delta groups warned action could have dire consequences.

No fewer than 59 members of the House of Representatives, who are of northern extraction, are purportedly sponsoring bill with intent to delete Section 162, sub-section 2 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

The section under reference which has to do with the management of ‘the Federation Account’, particularly subsection 2 states inter alia:

“The President upon the receipt of advice from the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, shall table before the National Assembly proposals for revenue allocation from the Federation Account, and in determining the formula, the National Assembly shall take into account, the allocation principles, especially those of population, equality of states, internal revenue generation, land mass, terrain as well as population density;

“Provided that the principle of derivation shall be constantly reflected in any approved formula as being not less than thirteen per cent of the revenue accruing to the Federation Account from any natural resources.”

PANDEF described the move as crazy and stirring of the hornets’ nest.

In a telephone interview with The Nation, the forum’s National Publicity Secretary, Hon Ken Robinson, said: “The Niger Delta people consider that assembly as outrageous. It is a crazy move and they are simply stirring the hornets’ nest. The Niger Delta people will react appropriately. In fact PANDEF is convoking an emergency general assembly for all Niger Deltans to discuss the matter and come up with the appropriate response. But the simple fact is that they are stirring the hornets’ nest and the Niger Delta people are ready. We challenge them to go ahead and delete or alter that section of the constitution.”

Irked by the northern lawmakers’ plan, Robinson said the Niger Delta would no longer accept 13 percent but would make fresh demand for 50 percent. “ We recall that when it was cocoa and groundnut it was 50 percent and in fact the Niger Delta people are now going to insist that we revert back to the principle of 50 percent or nothing and there is nothing anybody can do. If they go ahead and delete that section of the constitution it simply means they have deleted us from Nigeria. Like I said earlier, PANDEF is convoking an emergency meeting of the Niger Delta people and we will state our position to Nigeria and to the world. The meeting will be holding on Monday.”

Reacting to the development, President, INC, Prof. Benjamin Okaba, in a statement yesterday tagged, ‘Let the Sleeping Dogs Lie’, warned that sponsoring such an obnoxious and insensate bill was an invitation to chaos.

He said the people of the region had been condoning the arbitrary allocation of 13 per cent to mineral producing states in the spirit of brotherhood and national interest over the years.

He cautioned that any attempt to insult the sensibilities of the people by sponsoring such an obnoxious and unthinkable bill would be vehemently resisted.

Okaba wondered: “What could have been the motivation for these 59 northern lawmakers to contemplate sponsoring this obnoxious bill other than the fact that it provides for “derivation principle… as being not less than thirteen per cent”?

“It is unfortunate that some honourable men of our Green Chambers are taking delight in fanning the embers of chaos, national disintegration and the total collapse of the Nigerian state.

“We are not sure if these persons have measured in any manner the eventual consequences of their intended action on both the economic and political space of Nigeria.”

(The Nation)

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