ABUJA— SOUTH-SOUTH Consultative Assembly has resolved to resist any attempt to reverse the law abrogating the onshore/offshore dichotomy, saying moves by the northern governors and two from the South-West to bring back the oil dichotomy were “ill-motivated, unpatriotic, provocative and insensitive.”
The Assembly also resolved to work assiduously in concert with other zones of the country to produce the next President in 2007 and, as a step in that direction, directed its organs to put in place the necessary machinery for the actualisation of the objective.
These were some of the resolutions of the Assembly at its meeting Tuesday in Abuja, which was attended by prominent leaders of the zone, among them Chief Tony Anenih, Chief Don Etiebet, Dr. Joseph Wayas, Chief Allison Ayida, Ambassador Mathew Mbu, Chief John Oyegun and Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia.
A communiqué of the meeting issued yesterday in Abuja and signed by former Senate President and convener of the meeting, Dr. Wayas, and Chairman of the Steering Committee, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, said the meeting discussed “the onshore/offshore dichotomy law being challenged by the governors of the northern states supported by two of the South-West, the question of the 2007 Presidency of the country, issues relating to youth restiveness in the region and issues of the unity of the region.”
The communiqué: “The Assembly noted the huge contributions of the South-South zone to the economic, political and social development of the country but regretted that the zone has not been shown any reciprocation.
“It further noted that ongoing efforts to reverse the onshore/offshore dichotomy by the northern and some South-West governors were ill-motivated, unpatriotic, provocative and insensitive.
“The Assembly expressed concern over youth restiveness in the zone and its attendant consequences to the social economic well-being of the nation.
“After deliberations on the issues enumerated above, the Assembly adopted the following resolutions:
•To resist any attempt to reverse the existing abrogation law with regards to the onshore/offshore dichotomy.
•That the South-South geo-political zone shall work assiduously in concert with other zones in the country to produce the next president of Nigeria from the South-South in 2007. Consequently, the Assembly has directed its organs to put in place the necessary machinery for the actualisation of this objective.
