YENAGOA- National President of Ijaw youths Council (IYC) world-wide, Barr. Oweilaemi Pereotubo has said the vice president Professor Yemi Osinbajo lacks knowledge in the South-South people clamour for restructuring and true federalism.
Barr. Oweilaemi disclosed in a press statement and a copy was sent to Daily Watch, said ‘‘The vice president lacks understanding of what restructuring means. Osinbajo’s recent approbation and reprobation of the concept of restructuring shows that he is being blinded by the unmerited position of his principal against the clamour for restructuring and true federalism.
‘‘The Vice President while addressing Nigerian community in the USA said Nigeria’s problem is leadership and not restructuring. He went further to contradict himself while trying to satisfy his master’s urge thus, “We went to court to contest the idea that every state should control, to a certain extent, its own resources (the so-called resource control debate). We were in court at that time up to the Supreme Court and the court ruled that oil-producing states should continue to get 13 per cent derivation. While we were at the Supreme Court only the oil-producing states and Lagos were interested in resource control, everybody else was not interested in resource control for obvious reasons.”
He stated further, ‘‘We cannot comprehend where Osinbajo is standing on the issue of restructuring and true federalism. What IYC wish to tell the world that Nigeria’s teething problems are feathered by the internal colonialism of indigenous Nigerians by the major tribes as well as the economic strangulations of the components states. The reason why the Niger Delta region keeps on experiencing crisis is because of the oppressive, obnoxious, inimical and repressive laws that tend to colonise, immaculate and gag the people from having control of their destinies.
‘‘There can be no commensurate solution to heal the wounds of the Niger Delta people of these decades of economic robbery. The only solution lies in the practice of true federalism and resource control where each of the federating States will harness and control the resources in their domains for a competitive and stabilized economy. No leader however good he may be can sufficiently address the grievances of the Niger Deltans except true structural reformation of the Country.
‘‘We make bold to say that even the farmers and herdsmen’s crisis in the middle belt and parts of southern Nigeria is chiefly caused by the quasi-federal system Nigeria is practicing. If States are allowed to have major control of their economies and security the problems of insecurity, even development and unemployment will be addressed.
‘‘Osinbajo who earlier said in June this year that the present administration was not opposed to restructuring as being canvassed in many quarters is surprising to us that he is singing a different tune so soon. The Vice President cannot speak from both sides of his mouth. He is quite aware that the importance of restructured Nigeria for the Country’s continuous corporate existence is non-negotiable. Osinbajo should rather convince his boss to accept the clamour for true federalism. That is the only panacea to a secured and economically viable country.’’ He said
