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Oil dichotomy:Governors under fire
THOMAS IMONIKHE, Deputy Political Editor
REACTIONS to
the recent suit by 19 governors from the North and three of their colleagues
from the South West geo-political zone, Governors Olagunsoye Oyinlola (Osun),
Rasheed Ladoja (Oyo) and Ayo Fayose (Ekiti) have been mixed and have come in
torrents.
The reasons for the divergent opinions on
the issue are not far- fetched because of the high stakes involved. Possible
victory for the plaintiffs at the Supreme Court will translate into tremendous
financial benefits to the non-littoral states to the detriment of oil bearing
states especially Akwa Ibom and Ondo States whose oil wealth is located
offshore.
Those who have made their views known on
the suit aimed at voiding the "Abolition of Onshore/Offshore Dichotomy Act" in
sharing of oil revenue based on the 13 per cent principle include Traditional
Rulers of Oil Mineral Producing Communities of Nigeria (TROMPCON) and the
Commissioner for Information in Delta State, Mr. Magnus Onyibe.
Others are Second Republic governor of
Kaduna State and chairman, Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP),
Alhaji Balarabe Musa and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain in Lagos
State, Mr. Ladipo Johnson.
Reacting to the suit, TROMPCON which is
made up of representatives of Delta, Imo, Bayelsa, Edo, Ondo, Rivers, Abia,
Cross River and Akwa Ibom States, described the 22 state governors as
"conspirators" who did not mean well for the country.
According to the royal fathers, who issued
a ten-point communique after a recent meeting at Effurun near Warri, the
subsisting suit was generating fresh tension in the Niger Delta region with the
threat of further agitation by restive youths.
"It is unfortunate that the Derivation
Fund which is regarded as pittance, is being challenged by these people who do
not wish this country well at this point in time, when the new agitation for
further increase to 50 per cent is being championed, in order to confront, head
on, the multi-faceted problems of environmental pollution, ecological
degradation, pervasive poverty that have over the years made life unbearable and
unworthy of living (for our people)," they noted in their statement. They urged
the governors to withdraw the suit.
The statement was endorsed by 17 royal
fathers including HRM Pere Charles Ayeni-Bolu and HRH Eze Ikegwuruka, TROMPCON
national chairman and secretary respectively.
On his part, Mr. Onyibe, who said he was
speaking for himself, in a separate reaction to the suit, described it as
"diversionary and a gimmick", stressing, "I think it is diversionary," It is not
a reasonable thing to do. So I guess that is why some governors are not even
reacting to it. It is a mere gimmick."
On their part, lawmakers from the South
South zone in the House of Representatives condemned the 22 governors who
instituted the suit, accusing them of fanning the embers of national disunity.
Leader of the South South Parliamentary caucus in the
House, Hon. Esio Udoh said his group took strong exception to the alleged threat
by the governors that there would be no lasting peace in the
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