It’s restructuring or no 2019 elections in N-Delta — Youths

By Charles Kumolu

YOUTH leaders in the Niger Delta region have called on the Federal Government to heed the calls to restructure Nigeria threatening that without restructuring, there would be no election in the region in 2019.

They also insisted that any restructuring without 100 per cent ownership and management of resources would not be accepted.

These were stated in Port Harcourt at a stakeholders’ meeting which had members of the state assemblies, ex-political office holders, serving political appointees and captains of industry in attendance.

A communiqué released at the end of the forum convened by a former governorship candidate in Bayelsa State and Founder, Nigeria Young Professionals Forum, Mr. Moses Siasia, condemned the hate speeches emanating from different sections of the country.

The statement reads: ‘’Over 60 Niger Delta young leaders, including members of state assemblies, former commissioners, government appointees and some private sector players across states of the Niger Delta Region, met in Port Harcourt on restructuring of Nigeria. Niger Delta people have unanimously agreed that restructuring embodies 100 per cent control of their resources.

“The young leaders unanimously demand for 100 per cent resource ownership, control and management and the restructuring of the current faulty political and economic architecture of Nigeria which is a source of provocation. This must be done before the 2019 general elections or there will be no elections across the region and no exploration of oil blocks.

“We must go back to the round table and discuss the principles of equity and justice and this must take effect from the highest seat of power to the communities which will birth true federalism in a new peoples’ constitution. As a people united for our future, we must act now. We also condemn all forms of hate speech emanating from any part of the country.

“The issues facing the Niger Delta require both collective and personal responsibilities. We are resolved to look inward and beyond our ethnicity in the Niger Delta so as to build a united region.”

We, therefore, call on all Niger-Deltans to work together in tackling the deep rooted problems facing our people and environment, and define the future of the Niger-Delta. The Young leaders also resolved to carry out proper sensitization programmes in states across the region and promised to engage critical stakeholders on their desire to move the   country forward on the basis of fairness, justice and equity.”

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