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Crush MASSOB, others Council of States tells Obasanjo
By Chesa Chesa
National Assembly
Correspondent, Abuja
The National Councilor States (NCS) on Tuesday handed President Olusegun
Obasanjo full support to crush all groups and organisations including the
Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB)
perceived to be threatening the existence or unity of the country.
The NCS, which comprises the President, the Vice President, the
leadership of the National Assembly, former heads of state, the Chief Justice
of Nigeria as well as governors of the 36 states, met at the Presidential Villa
and also resolved that half of the N629 billion so far realised from excess
crude oil sales be shared among the Federal Government (N146b); states (N74b)
and local governments (N41b).
At the end of the meeting, the governors of Ebonyi, Anambra, Borno and
Osun states addressed State House Correspondents and revealed that the council
took strong exceptions to attempts by some groups within the country to
dismember the nation and consequently demanded of the President not to
compromise on the nation�s sovereignty.
Ebonyi Governor Sam Egwu said: �The issue of threat by whatever group
that is trying to threaten the sovereignty of this country came into focus
during our meeting. It�s the view of the council that the President take
measures to deal with any group threatening the sovereignty of this country. We
gave Mr. President our full backing. So government is not playing about it�, he
said.
On the excess oil revenue sharing formula, Osun State Governor
Olagunsoye Oyinlola explained that the council decided to share only 50 percent
of the total revenue to leave the other half to take care of whatever crude oil
price fluctuations that may occur during the fiscal year.
He added that 13 percent of the amount to be shared would go to the
producing areas, �while the rest of us will take the balance. For the year
2005, what is distributable is N318.5 billion, which goes into savings while
N318.5 billion is to be shared in accordance with the formula.
�If I may have to break down the earnings, the local governments will be
taking up to N57billion, state government N74 billion, federal government N146 billion�,
he said.
The NCS also endorsed the recommendation of the Federal Executive
Council (FEC) decision on prisoners to be granted pardon under the presidential
prerogative of mercy and those to be given national honours awards.
The break down of national awards indicates GCFR (1), CON (23), OFR
(49), OON (55), MFR (44) and MON (13).
Former Head of State Muhammad Buhari was again conspicuously absent at
the meeting that had in attendance former President Shehu Shagari, Ibrahim
Babangida, Chief Ernest Shonekan, and many of the 36 governors. Vice President
Atiku Abubakar and Speaker Bello Masari also attended.
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