Posted by Dotun Oladipo on
South-South governors and delegates to the recently concluded National Political Reform Conference may raise a committee to lobby the National Assembly on the two major demands of the zone.
South-South governors and delegates to the recently concluded National Political Reform Conference may raise a committee to lobby the National Assembly on the two major demands of the zone.
The demands are an equitable derivation principle and 2007 presidency.
South-South leaders of thought are to meet on Wednesday in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, to perfect the lobby strategy as a follow-up to their demands at the NPRC.
The South-South delegates had walked out of the NPRC in protest against the approval of 17 per cent as derivation formula.
Their action drew flaks from their Northern colleagues and led to the hurried end of the NPRC.
Sources said on Monday that the lobby team would also meet with the Presidential Committee on the report of the NPRC.
It was learnt that the panel would ask the committee, headed by the Minister of Justice and Attorney -General of the Federation, Chief Bayo Ojo, to take into consideration the position of the South-South in making its recommendations to President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Our correspondent learnt that the Akwa Ibom State Governor and host of Wednesday's meeting, Obong Victor Attah, mooted and sold the idea of setting up the panel to his colleagues and other leaders of the zone.
Another meeting is slated for Thursday in Abuja with federal lawmakers from the zone.
A third meeting, our sources added, would be with the Federal Government appointees from the zone at a later date.
Among those expected at the meeting with the Federal Government appointees are the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Obong Ufot Ekaette, ministers and advisers to the president.
The Media Coordinator of the South-South delegates at the NPRC, Chief Mike Ozekhome, who confirmed the Uyo meeting, said it was strategic in the game plan of the zone.
He said, "It could be a strategic caretaker committee though the make-up I cannot say now.
"But what is certain is that there will be a committee to push the position of the zone until we achieve what we want.
"The race we are running now is not a 100 metre dash. It is a marathon and we are prepared to sustain ourselves while it lasts."
Ozekhome said the meeting with the members of the National Assembly and Federal Government appointees from the South-South was to brief them on the mandate of the people of the zone and to seek their assistance in actualising the gains recorded at the NPRC.
The PUNCH, Tuesday, August 16, 2005