South South Leaders Meet, Embrace Unity
From Aniekan Bassey, Uyo
THE issue of disunity amongst leaders in the Niger Delta came under focus at the South South governors and political leaders summit which opened in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State yesterday with a clarion call for a re-think by the leaders to save the region from apparent political extinction.
Setting the tone for the meeting, the Akwa Ibom State governor and host, Obong Victor Attah bemoaned the level of discord amongst the leaders in the recent past, development he had observed has negated he spirit of initial formation of that assembly in the year 2000 in Asaba, the Delta State capital.
The governor reasoned that, the lack of team spirit was capable of exposing the Niger Delta zone vulnerable to attack in all ramifications even at the risk of the unfolding political calculation in 2007.
Attah specifically cited the case of the vexations of on-shore/off shore oil dichotomy and resources control which portrayed leaders of the zone as not capable of speaking with one voice but, however, regretted that after the war on the abrogation of the oil dichotomy law was won, leaders were also quick at making spurious claims to their being the only arrow-heads of the battle.
Said he: Indeed God has given us victory in the vexed matter of on-shore/offshore dichotomy. In this we owe an abounding debt of gratitude to the National Assembly and the president for signing it into law. But let me advise that it is not necessary for us to insert articles in newspapers/magazines trying to determine whose style was confrontational and whose, was subtle, who has a real victor or noise-maker, instead, of trying to say whose method was to fail or succeed, but let us claim this victory collectively for the South South.
"Having done so, let us admit the sad fact that the zone remains missed in a number of controversies and plagued by problems some of which could have been solved by now, had we acted collectively," Attah maintained.
Edo State governor, Chief Lucky Igbinedion expressed joy at the re-convening of the South South Summit saying the issue of discordant voices of the zone was a matter of great concern which may if not arrested mar the chances of the zone in 2007.
In attendance where the governors of Rivers State, Dr. Peter Odili and deputy, Sir Gabriel Loby, Baysela State governor, Chief Diepreye Alamesiegha and deputy, Sir Jonathan Goodluck, Edo State governor, Chief Lucky Igbinedion, Delta State governor, Chief James Ibori, Minister of Transport, Dr. Abiye Sekibo and National and State Assembly members. Also the Secretary to government of the Federation, Chief Ufot Ekaette was conspicuously absent as Cross River governor Donald Duke, who neither sent any representative.
On the slain of Chief AK Dikibo PDP South South National vice chairman, Obong Victor Attah has urged the Inspector General of Police to commence the prosecution of the driver and police orderly respectively attached to the politician if the truth must be unveiled and justice seen to be done. He said it was rather painful and insulting to the leaders of the Niger Delta for the security agencies to even contemplate or wish away the death of their party's zonal leader as an armed robbery attack.
He said, "unfortunately, there was discord in the house (governor's forum), Harry Marshal left the party and later was murdered, according to police reports, by armed robbers in Abuja, Chief AK Dikibo, a worthy son of the South South replaced him; of whom all of us, regardless of party affiliation were justifiably proud. Today, we speak of him in the past tense."
"Even the police have so far failed to establish its armed robbery theory. Before we talk about his replacement why can't we demand that the police must solve this murder. After all, there were two people, the driver and the police orderly, who were with him from the time he entered that vehicle to the time his lifeless body was deposited in the mortuary and, therefore must know what in fact happened."
