Home | Articles | Nigeria Articles | A South-South President: The Quest For Equity, Justice and Fair Play

A South-South President: The Quest For Equity, Justice and Fair Play

By
Font size: Decrease font Enlarge font

Author: By Prof. B.I.C. Ijomah. Ph.D (Northwestern)
Posted to the web: 6/22/2005 7:02:11 AM

It is often said that nobody can represent you better than yourself. After decades of exploitation and marginalisation, coupled with the insensitivity of past administrations, it has dawned on the people of the South South geopolitical zone, that nobody can represent the interests of their zone better than an indegene of the South South, especially after years of insincerity and the imminent threat of crustal instability.
The South South geopolitical zone, like Nigeria as a country was created and imposed on the people. Nigeria has so far failed to create the 'will' and the spirit of the nation. Nigeria, in reality is the association of diverse cultural units and symbols.
A nationalist government with an ideological orientation would have welded these cultural groups into a functioning nation. The various requests for states attest to the dissatisfaction of people with the structure and nature of the Nigerian enterprise. From the on set of Independence, the agitation for the creation of Mid- Western Region and the (C.O.R.) Calabar, Ogoja and Rivers States and the Middle Belt Region are eloquent indications that the structure of the colonial creation was unsatisfactory.
Apart from the Mid-Western Region whose creation followed the procedures set out in the Constitution, no other State was created. However, during the military regimes of Murtala, Obasanjo and Abacha, more states were created.
 
The procedure and the justification for these new states left many groups dissatisfied. The States and the subsequent Local Government Councils soon attracted the loyalties of people who easily transferred the little commitment they had for the nation to their states and local governments. The super ethnic groups such as Hausa/Fulani, Igbo and the Yoruba seem bound by cultural identity, since each group had a unifyjng language. Several attempts in the past to have a working relationship among the ethnic groups could not gather the required impetus. General Abacha realised the subordinate roles the minority ethnic groups were subjected to, and he sought away of bringing many groups together as building blocks to true federalism. In his speech while inaugurating the National Constitutional Conference on Monday 27th June, 1994, he had this to say: The fitful convulsions of political and emotional over-reactions which have intermittently agitated our young and budding democracy have been instigated by the lack of conscious culture of national consensus conceived in the broadest sense. The democratic nation we are building will be best sustained by co-ordinative rather than sub-ordinative relationships with proper sympathy for equal claims to political power , legitimacy and social justice.
To ensure that power was not monopolised by one ethnic group or a dominant group, General Abacha decided to create the six political zones so that power could rotate among the zones. Politicians hailed this innovation, but many feared that over ambitious individuals would cling to power in spite of this safeguard. In proposing his six zones, General Abacha ensured that there was a minimum core of shared values, which would hold the zone together. Accordingly, he created: 2. The South East Zone 3. The North East Zone 4. The North Central Zone 5. The North West Zone 6. The South West Zone 7. The South South Zone.
When the dominant section of a society constitutes a minority group, political order is usually secured by force or the threat of force. No group would voluntarily surrender power. The zonal arrangement was introduced to check the propensity of one group (major or minor) from clinching to power. The Zonal arrangement was a devise to' ensure that every section sub-summed under a zone, had equal opportunity to produce a President.
The PDP Constitution, Article 3 states inter alia ' to restructure Nigeria in the spirit of true federalism in order to ensure a fair and equitable distribution of power, resources, wealth and opportunities... ' In keeping with this declared intention of the PDP, the people of the South South believe that since every zone with the exception of the South South zone has produced rulers of this nation, it will be a negation of the averred fair and equitable distribution of power, resources, wealth and opportunity if the zone that had produced the President is allowed a second time when the South South zone has not been allowed to produce a president for once. It will be recalled that long before the PDP decision to allow power to shift to the South, the six zonal arrangement was in effect. Thus, the' South' is not apolitical zone. In the list of Past rulers, reproduced here for emphasis, we have the following leaders and their zones. Table 1.
Table 2. Summary of Table 1 Zone Length of Time 1. North East 1960- 1966 2. South East Jan. -July 1966 3. North Central July 1966- 1975 North Central 1985 -1993 North Central 1998 -1999 4. North West 1975- 1976 North West 1993- 1998 5. South West 1975- 1979 South West Aug. -Nov. 1993 South West 1999- 2003 South West 2003 6. South South - North East ruled for 6 years South East ruled for 6 months North Central ruled for 23 years North West ruled for 6 years South West ruled 12 years 4 months. South South. The Peoples Democratic Party believes that in order to restructure Nigeria in the spirit of true federalism, power, resources, wealth and opportunities must be equitably distributed. The six zonal arrangement was to ensure that Power was not monopolised by one Zone, and that minority ethnic groups are not subjected to, and subjugated by any or a combination of dominant groups. Any logic that allows a zone that has produced rulers for 23 years to have another chance when the South South has not had one chance is not only contradictory but against the spirit of one Nigeria and true federalism. It is a shameless indication to the South South minorities that they do not belong to Nigeria.
Those who want power to shift to the North should not forget that the North has produced the leaders of this nation for 74.47% of the post-independence period. Any denial to South South of the right to produce the next President must be seen as a brazen assault on the South South and the South East that produced Aguiyi Ironsi for only 6 months.
Let the conscience of the nation tame the inordinate ambitions of past rulers who aspire to be recycled again. It is generally believed that for these 43 years, 47 years by 2007, this nation has not been given an orientation. President Obasanjo is trying; but can he clean the institutional mismanagement of 47 years in just 8 years? We must not be afraid to give the Southern minorities their turn. Let the spirit of one Nigeria compel us to accept the equality of the Zones in the equitable distribution of Power, resources, wealth, legitimacy and social justice. No zone is a repository of talent; and those who shot themselves to power should realise that democratic governance is a different ball game.
One cardinal principle of true federalism is representativeness. When people do not participate in the governance of the nation, when they seem deliberately neglected or schemed out in the management of the country; they develop a feeling of alienation. From the history of Nigeria, we know that we were bunched together by external forces, and held together by external interests. Currently, we are forced and held together by forces of domestic colonialism. It is a known sociological truism that when in the course of human calculation, inconsistent cognitive elements are forced together by linguistic or behavioral assertion, stress is produced in proportion to the magnitude of the inconsistencies. Or as I have put it, where a number of historic cleavages intermix and create a basis (nation) for politics, democracy will be unstable for, by definition, such politics does not include the concept of tolerance. The instability of Nigerian politics derives from the fact that there is no binding spirit at the national level. The interest of most politicians is what they can get in return. One Anambra godfather sees it as an investment in which he hoped to win maximum benefits. There is therefore a sense of immediacy in their drive for the fruits of politics. The centre is attractive because there lies the seat of power.
The only way to bring stability to the nation is to make people believe that they are partners in nation building. The presidency should rotate to the South South so that the ball will be seen to have gone round the zones. There is no logic, no matter how finely constructed that could justify those scheming to come back to power after ruling this country for many years, and leaving the nation in chaos. It is sheer inordinate ambition to want to rule again when the South South Zone has persistently been ruled out. There will be no sense of justice, fair and equitable distribution of power if the South South is not allowed to produce the President this time around. It is the only zone that has not produced the President, or Prime Minister.
It is a paradox that the Peoples Democratic Party that has offered in its Constitution to restructure Nigeria in the spirit of true federalism in order to ensure equitable distribution of power, could be seen playing politics with 'equitable distribution of Power'. General Abacha , in creating the six geopolitical zones sought to coordinate the equal claims to political power, legitimacy and social justice. In his view, the stability of the nation would best be guaranteed if every zone had equal opportunity to produce the leader of this great nation. So far, the majority ethnic groups have used their numerical strength to grab the Presidency whenever a vacancy occurred. Henry Willink Commission of 1958 was concerned with the fate of the minority groups and stressed in its report that in order to ensure the unity of the nation power should be balanced.
The Northern Governors Forum rose from its meeting in Kaduna with a declaration that power should rotate between the North and the South. This nation has long forgotten the North/South dichotomy which had currency during Lugard's administration. Contemporary Nigerian politics has settled for the six zones. Even political party structures take cognisance of the six zones. There is, therefore, no need to return to the North/South system of rotation.
The Constitution of Nigeria simply requires that the President of Nigeria must be a Nigerian. But if this Nigerian emerges each time from a particular zone, other zones are bound to question their relevance to the Nigerian enterprise. The 1994 Constitutional Conference held that a properly structured and balanced federation implies that all geopolitical areas should have access to power so that every section of the country has a sense of belonging through well-worked out avenues for participation. The Conference on October 17, 1994 resolved that Rotational Presidency be enshrined in the New Constitution. This was included in Section 229, sub-section I of the 1995 Draft Constitution. It stipulated that the Office of President shall rotate between North and South.
Perhaps wiser counsel prevailed in the production of 1999 Constitution. It jettisoned the rotational presidency between North and South. The popularity of the Zonal arrangement may have suggested the imperative of rotating the Presidency from one zone to another, thus making the North-South argument somewhat outdated.
As we move towards 2007, it will become obvious that there will be six nuclei based on increased zonal consciousness. The new Nigerian spirit will be enhanced and indeed emerge from the zones with the systematic waning of statism. In a country with several nationalities, any group that dominates the others can only do so for a while. The growth of micro-national consciousness, in the case of Nigeria, a consciousness propelled by primordial sentiments any attempt to dominate an enlightened group is bound to be resisted with perhaps disastrous consequences to the Nation.
In a truly modem federalism the centre ought not to be the leviathan which we have in Nigeria. Power should be shared between the Centre and the State governments. Each state is supposed to be autonomous in its sphere of influence.
1960 and 1963 independence and republican constitutionsUnder these constitutions, each region had its own separate constitution in addition to the constitution of the Federal Republic.
Resources: Under the above constitutions, the economic independence of the regions was guaranteed. The basis of revenue allocation was strictly derivative. Section 140 provides for the sharing of the proceeds of minerals such as oil, in such a way that a sum equal to 50% of the proceeds was paid to the Federal Government. 30% of general import duties was paid into a pool to be shared by the regions. Proceeds from other commodities were shared on the basis of the proportion of that commodity derived from a particular Region. Professor I.E. Sagay summed up the derivative principle as follows: I. Minerals including mineral, oil-only 50% of proceeds was retained by the region from which minerals were extracted. 2. 30% went into the distributable pool for all the regions including the producing region. 3. 20% went to the Federal Government. 4. 30% of import duties went into the distributable pool. 5. Import duty on Petrol and diesel consigned to any region was refunded to the region. 6. The same applied to excise duty on tobacco. Under the Unitary Constitutions of the military regimes from 1967 to 1999, the regions (states) were so emasculated that many could not afford to pay the salaries of workers.
Prof. Sagay rightly noted that the 'unitary absolutism in the political sphere was complemented by unitarism in the economic sphere since 1966'. By the Petroleum Decree (No.51) of 1969, the Federal Military Government declared that the entire ownership and control of all petroleum resources in, under or upon, any lands in Nigeria was vested in itself. By the offshore Oil Revenue Decree No.9 of 1971, the Federal Government assumed total ownership of all minerals in the continental shelf, as well as royalties, rents and other revenues derived from oil exploration.
One could ignore the injustices in the unitarian decrees because of the consequences of the civil war; but war has long been over. The problems of the South South Zone remain peculiar to the South South Zone. Prof. Sagay gives the following table to illustrate the Federal Government's systematic incursion, which has deprived the south South zone of its God-given resources.Federal -State Percentage Share In Petroleum Proceeds 1960 -1999
The 13% which has been enshrined in the 1999 Constitution Section 162 (2) has remained a farce. The figures provided by Chief A.K. Horsfall, the Chairman of OMP ADEC, 1992 -1995, indicates that the Commission was to have received 72 billion Naira during the period. Regrettably, it received only 11 billion Naira, that is, 15.28% of its entitlement. Mr. Eric Opia who succeeded Chief Horsfall received just over 2 billion Naira from 1995 -1996. When we compare these figures with the Petroleum Trust Fund (P .T .F) which received N346 billion from 1994 -97, the great injustice to the South South becomes more glaring as it is provocative to the South South that produces the oil wealth of the nation. OMPADEC received just 3.18% of what PTF received.
The dangers inherent in oil exploration have remained the legacies the Federal Government allows the South South to share 100%. Our people have not become sufficiently conscious of the disastrous consequences of oil exploitation. The fate of the people who live in oil producing states has been compromised by the Federal Government. Government is aware of crustal instability and physical catastrophe, which arise from careless oil exploitation. Researchers have encountered glaring evidence of possible subsidence in the South South Zone. Bathymetric survey shows the steady rise in the mean sea level. There is the fear of subsidence caused by extraction of hydrocarbons. Any light earth tremor in the Niger Delta would wreck untold havoc. Researches have shown that earthquake is a possibility anywhere now.
The Niger Delta Development Commission which replaced OMPADEC is another huge joke because it is not well funded. Its main vision is awarding contracts on roads and housing etc. When there is an episode of crustal restlessness all the fine houses and roads would disappear. Besides, researches have shown that the Niger Delta Coast is losing more sand to the ocean than it is accumulating from the rivers. Continuous nourishment of the Niger Delta requires a huge sum of money -NDDC cannot cope! The Niger Delta is regressing as the ocean advances.
Protecting the Niger Delta: From the very beginning of our contact with the West, the Niger Delta has been a major factor in the political economy of the nation. It is the sustainer of the nation's economy, first, in the slave trade, second, in the palm produce trade, and now in the petroleum and gas trade. Yet, and sadly, the Niger Delta has been criminally neglected in everything in spite of the series of devastations to the Niger Delta. Slave trade destroyed vast territories, destroying towns and villages; millions of persons who could have contributed to the development of the Niger Delta were carted away into slavery. No eternity will be long enough to wipe away the horrors of slave trade. There is yet another horror. The consequences of oil industry to human, land and animal ecology are yet to be appreciated.
Most oil companies have computerized information on subsidence caused by extraction of hydrocarbons. Successive Federal Governments have shown criminal neglect of the Niger Delta. The oil companies followed in this nonchalant treatment to Niger Delta and its people. Many emerging problems have heightened our fear of crustal subsidence and the steady rise in the mean sea level as confirmed by several bathymetric surveys.
The goose that lays the golden egg is in danger. The Oil Companies know it; the Federal Government knows about it. Besides oil spills and unregulated oil related activities, the Niger Delta is gradually being washed away. The existence of the Niger Delta is dependent on deposits from rivers such as the Niger and the Benue-both are the main sources of sediments which build the Niger Delta over the millennia. Jacobson (1989) shows that the solid load of the Niger before Lokoja, its confluence with the Benue, is estimated to be 4.6 mio. m3/year. Of this load, 3 mio. m3/year are sands. The Benue which is the Niger's main affluent has a smaller watershed, but carries higher quantity of sediments than the Niger. Its load is estimated at 11 mio. m3/year. Of this, .6 mio m3/year are sands.
The dams and canals in the Northern part of the country have drastically reduced the transport capacity of the Niger, slowed down its speed, and forced it to prematurely deposit its sands before the Niger Delta; little nourishment therefore gets to the Delta.
The materials brought to the delta are first deposited in large river mouth bars. If the bars don't exist a reasonable amount of sand is jetted out of the shores and lost to the delta. With the proposed or existing (about 26) dams, limited sediments will get to the Niger Delta. Meanwhile, the coastal zones are subjected to massive erosions, which lead to substantial loss of sand to the ocean. Thus, rather than build up, the Niger Delta is regressing. In the event of crustal/coastal subsidence, neither the State Government nor the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) can successfully intervene...f1i Only the Federal Government headed by a South South President can have the, ' commitment to finding a lasting solution. The cosmetic measures of past and present regimes simply stresses the indifference of these administrations to the plight of the Niger Delta. The threat of Earthquake in this area is a potent danger that must unsettle any genuine indigene of the South-South.
It is crystal clear that only a Presidential intervention can save the Niger Delta and compel the Oil Companies to take appropriate measures to check the consequences of hydrocarbon extraction. The call for a South South President is a call for a Nigerian that lives with the problems facing the South South to be in a position to address them.. He will show more concern because he is deeply involved. We request that a person deeply worried about the fate of the Niger Delta be given an opportunity to show that the goose that lays the golden egg can be saved for the benefit of the nation. Past regimes gave deaf ears to the cries of the people of Niger Delta.
The Electoral Relevance Of The South South Over the years, the voting strength of the South South has always determined who wins the Presidential race. The people of the South South zone have now realised that something is happening to their corporate existence as Nigerians; their cries over the years have fallen on deaf ears. They have thus come to an irrevocable decision to seek the Presidential ticket. They will be religiously mobilised to win the Presidential election. In this burning spirit of mass commitment, they ask the great parties to pick their flag bearers from the South South. It was the great Archimedes who said, Da mihi locum stare et mundum movebo. 'Give me a place to stand and I will move the earth.. ' The people of the South South geopolitical zone are only asking for their own opportunity to show that Nigeria can be better managed. They believe that he who wears the shoe knows where the nail pinches.
 
Having been marginalised and exploited over the years, the People of the South South have no other alternative than to seek the mantle of leadership of this nation so that they can join in correcting the abuses of the past regimes.
The problems: As I was writing this section, I telephoned a big shot in the ruling party. He shares the aspirations of the South-South, but thinks it is a worth-while exercise that would not yield the desired goal. The Peoples Democratic Party has already zoned the Presidency to the North. There appears to be no going back as far as the PDP is concerned. Indeed, knowing the power politics as it is played in this country, any attempt by those who reached the accord in 2003 to breach it would threaten the unity of this country. It is clear that to force the PDP to breach this North/South accord would draw serious political upheavals. The PDP would not entertain any request to deny the North the Presidency in 2007.
There are only two viable political parties -the ANPP and the PDP. The ANPP has always projected a Northern candidate. It is not likely that the South South can persuade the ANPP to field a South South flag bearer. In view of the information received from the Party Secretariat that the Party has a standing agreement to zone the Presidency to the North, it was not necessary looking for the Terms of Reference of the political Reforms Committee before the Yenagoa General Assembly. However, it is well known that the agreement on the South/North Rotation was entered into by a few leaders. I believe that a motion sponsored by South South, South East with relevant signatories might compel the Party to subject this zoning decision to the Convention.
Article 19 of the PDP Constitution states that the 'National Executive Committee shall formulate guidelines/regulations for the nomination of candidates for elections into public offices at all levels. The National Executive Committee shall be the final authority for resolving all disputes relating to the choice of Party candidates for any elections, for confirming the names or list of names of Party candidates for any elective public offices in the Federation.'
Article 12 Section 15(d) of PDP empowers the Convention to look into the actions of NEC and take appropriate decisions.
Can we mobilise and liaise with allies in other states to force the Convention to revisit the rotational policy? Can we handle the problems that will arise if the Convention is compelled to discuss the rotation? Can we persuade the Convention to revisit the question of zoning? We have less than one year to fly the kite that will generate discussions at the highest level of the Party before the Convention. The persistence, the coordination and the reach of our Movement will detern1ine who joins us in the quest.
Shall we be pushed to groom another party if the two major parties refuse our quest for equity, justice and fair play? If we are to use any of the two major parties what are the strategies to get to the heart of the parties? A strategy known to more than two persons is no longer a strategy .We must discuss this at a different but appropriate forum.

  • Email to a friend Email to a friend
  • Print version Print version
  • Plain text Plain text

Tagged as:

Nigeria, Africa, A South-South President, Equity, Justice, Fair Play, B.I.C. Ijomah, Prof. B.I.C. Ijomah., nigerian articles, african articles

Rate this article

0

Breaking News

Indicted Companies, Their Owners

Many highly placed Nigerians who own some of the companies indicted for fuel subsidy offences are likely to be arraigned in court this week The stage ...

Still a Killing Field

Fear and grief take the centre stage again in Jos after another round of crisis leading to the death of more than140 persons including two ...

Battle to Save LGs

A presidential committee headed by retired Justice Alfa Belgore suggests ways to salvage the nation’s local governments from the over bearing influence of state governors The ...

Twist in the Akpabio’s Murder Case

The family of the murdered Akpabio brothers rejects the setting up of a security committee to investigate the multiple murder incident and demands explanation for ...

Akwa Ibom Triumphs

Cross River State loses its bid to reclaim 76 oil wells which it lost through its declassification as a littoral state For Godswill Akpabio, governor of ...

Danger at the Door

Fear of religious war looms as Boko Haram sect targets churches and Christians for attacks T he   ordination   ceremony of Matthew Hassan Kukah as the Catholic ...

Danger at the Door

Fear of religious war looms as Boko Haram sect targets churches and Christians for attacks T he   ordination   ceremony of Matthew Hassan Kukah as the Catholic ...

Christians Have a Right to Defend Themselves

Gabriel Osu, monsignor and director of communications, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, speaks to Anthony Akaeze, assistant editor, on a number of issues relating to the ...

It’s Not a War Against Christians

Lateef Adegbite, secretary general, Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, speaks to Dike Onwuamaeze, principal staff writer, and Ishaya Ibrahim, staff writer, on Boko Haram. Excerpts: Newswatch: ...

On the Rise Again

Cases of kidnapping are again on the increase in Imo State There is an upsurge in kidnapping in Imo State. The cases are much more than ...