Posted by By Emma Amaize on
IN a drastic review of the game plan of the South-South geo-political zone after the National Political Reform Conference, its lawmakers have jettisoned 'confrontational approach" and embraced 'educational approach" in the on-going discussion and negotiation with their colleagues from the other ...
WARRI - IN a drastic review of the game plan of the South-South geo-political zone after the National Political Reform Conference, its lawmakers have jettisoned 'confrontational approach" and embraced 'educational approach" in the on-going discussion and negotiation with their colleagues from the other zones for the endorsement of a percentage higher than the 17 per cent recommended by the National Political Reform Conference as derivation.
Two lawmakers from the Niger-Delta: Senator Felix Ibru, representing Delta Central Senatorial district and Leo Ogor, representing Isoko Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, both in Delta State, who confirmed the new tactic, weekend, to Vanguard expressed the hope that the National Assembly would approve more than 17 per cent recommended by the confab to the oil producing states.
Senator Ibru told Vanguard specifically that those who opposed the position of the South-South on derivation did so 'because of lack of full understanding of the situation on ground in the zone. What many of us (lawmakers from the zone) are trying to do is to educate them (lawmakers from other zones) so that they will appreciate that we are not asking for what we do not deserve and I am glad to say that quite a number of people who are not from this zone who have now become more familiar with the type of problems we have in the South-South are beginning to show more sympathy than they did in the past. So in other words, we are approaching the problem, not by way of confrontation but by way of education."
He said the leader of the Northern delegates, Alhaji Umaru Dikko, was free to air his views on any matter in a democratic setting and people should stop attacking him for exercising his right.
Mr. Ogor said: 'The South-South lawmakers believe in give and take and we have been meeting with our colleagues from the other zones. A lot of them agree with us. The unfortunate thing was that the delegates did not look at the matter from a holistic point of view. I expect a situation where all zones would come up with what they are contributing to the national pool."