BY EMMA AMAIZE & EMMA ARUBI
WARRI- ELDERS and leaders of the South-South geo-political zone buried their political differences, yesterday and resolved not to allow the region to be intimidated or harassed by Northern leaders or any other group, to give up the constitutional right of President Goodluck Jonathan to hold office for eight years.
WARRI- ELDERS and leaders of the South-South geo-political zone buried their political differences, yesterday and resolved not to allow the region to be intimidated or harassed by Northern leaders or any other group, to give up the constitutional right of President Goodluck Jonathan to hold office for eight years.
The decision was taken at a general meeting of the South-South Peoples Assembly, SSPA, the umbrella body of the zone, in Warri, Delta State with eminent leaders, political gladiators and power brokers from the six states of the zone: Delta, Edo, Akwa-Ibom, Cross-River, Rivers and Bayelsa in attendance.
Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan (in suit), with participants during the general meeting of the South-South Peoples Assembly, SSPA, in Warri, yesterday.
Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State, who attended the summit was excited at the new found love and unity among the leaders, and promised that as servants, South-South governors would champion their articulated position.
He enjoined the SSPA to look into the grumbling of ethnic nationalities within the region and the dispute between Cross River and Akwa-Ibom states over the ownership of 76 oil wells, saying some of his colleagues had taunted him before now that the South-South was not giving enough backing to President Jonathan.
Among those who turned out for the meeting were national leader of the zone and former Federal Minister of Information, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark; first civilian governor of Edo State and national chair of SSPA, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun; first civilian governor of Delta State, Olorogun (Senator) Felix Ibru; former governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha; former military administrator of Niger State, Brigader-General Cletus Emein (rtd); former Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro; and former governor of Akwa-Ibom/deputy chair, SSPA, Idongesit Nkanga.
The Roll Call
Also in attendance were Senators Roland Owie, Francis Okpozo, Patrick Osakwe, Stella Omu, Francis Nwajei, Tare Sekibo and Lee Maeba; former provost marshal of the Nigerian Army, Brigadier-General Don Idada Ikponmwen; Elder Ambrose Akpanika, Dr Brown Adasen, all former SSPA chairs in Edo, Cross River and Delta states; former governorship aspirant in Bayelsa State, Chief Francis Doukpola; top female politician, Dr Esther Uduehi and Wing Commander Peter Biakpara (rtd).
There were also political strategist and academic, Prof B.I. C Ijomah; former Minister of Information, Prof Sam Oyovbaire; General Sam Oviawe (rtd), Niger-Delta activist, Ann Kio-Briggs; Prince Ernest Okojie, Chief S.S. Obaro, Prince K.B Omatseye, Mrs. Adaora Giwa-Amu, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, Chief Godwin Ogbetuo, Itsekiri opinion leader, Dr. Isaac Jemide; Chief Patrick Okonny, Akwa-Ibom industrialist, Otuekong Jackson Udom; General Anthony Etukudoh (rtd.), Chief E. Okoretie, Chief. B. Ketebu, Princess Monica Akiri, Barrister Mike Ejiofor, Chief David Pere, Prof Saliba Mukoro, Ambassador Harold Moni, Richard Lamai, Ebewele Austin and Elegbete Moses Odibo.
Two-time governor of defunct Bendel State, Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia and former military administrator, AVM Gregory Agboneni, could not make it, but sent apologies. Also former minister, Alabo Graham Douglas, who travelled to the United Kingdom for medical treatment; former Supreme Court judge, Justice Adolphus Karibi-Whyte; Senator Aniete Okon, His Royal Majesty, Alfred Diete-Spiff and Chief Don Etiebet sent words of solidarity.
Why I called the meeting — Clark
Speaking at the meeting, Chief Clark, who was acknowledged by speaker after speaker as the unflagging leader of the South-South, said he became very disturbed lately over the disunity in the zone and the way leaders from other geo-political zones were poaching on the region.
His words: “There has been disagreement among us and we have not been speaking with one voice and I ask myself, if it pleases God to take me today, what legacy will I be leaving for SSPA? That is why I took up the challenge to call the meeting”.
He said he was happy that the effort paid off, as could be seen from the calibre of people in attendance, adding, “we have appointed a committee to reconcile and harmonize under the leadership of Prof B.I.C Ijomah”.
Chief Clark said that since President Jonathan took office, the North had not rested in its ambition to make the country ungovernable for him, adding, “the South-South will never have it again if we miss this chance”.
He asserted that the constitution of the country allowed every president to contest for two terms and wondered why the North wanted to stop President Jonathan and by extension, South-South zone from taking its turn.
According to him, former President Shehu Shagari would have completed his second tenure if not that his government was toppled, while President Olusegun Obasanjo ran for two terms. He added that former President Umaru Yar’Adua would also have run for two terms, but for death that snatched him and asked why Dr. Jonathan should be stampeded out of office.
The South-South leader stated that when the zone made its famous declaration in Calabar in 2005 that the zone wanted to produce the next president, it meant it and prayed for it, but by a twist of fate, Obasanjo imposed the late Yar’Adua on the country and Jonathan, who was not considered for presidency was made vice president.
He said, as fate would have it, however, Yar’Adua died and Jonathan became president.
The leader said South-South prayed for leadership and got it through Dr. Jonathan and would not allow the North to intimidate or harass him out of power. He received a thunderous response when he asked if the people were in support of the region completing its eight-year shot at the presidency.
He said: “If we miss this chance, we will not be there again” and cautioned politicians from the zone not to be running mate to any presidential candidate from the North in 2015, as anybody, who disobeys the warning would be rejected by the people.
Clark said the South-South was not against national conference and called on the Federal Government to convene a national confab for the people to decide the basis of their unity.
He pointed out, however, that he was against sovereign national conference, stating that if the conference resolves that the country should split, nobody would be able to stop it at that stage.
We must be united back home — Uduaghan
Governor Uduaghan in his speech said: “For us to come out boldly in strong support of our President and the unity of this country, we must be united back home. I am happy that today, we have a more united SSPA. However, we must not ignore the ethnic grumbling in the South-South.
“All the ethnic groups, big or small, must be given a sense of belonging, accommodation and protection. All the inter-state disagreements must also be carefully dealt with; I want to implore the SSPA, at this juncture, to urgently intervene in the current disagreement between Cross River and Akwa Ibom states over oil wells before it degenerates further”.
He called for support for President Jonathan, saying, “he has come into office at a time the world economy is at its worst. All over the world, there is the problem of economic depression leading to very high rate of unemployment. This is made worse by the astronomical rise in our population. All these pose a big challenge to any leader. We must therefore be more rational and understanding in our criticism.
“His job is not an easy one, I ask you to continue to give him the support in every way possible to succeed. His success is our success. Our people say that whatever name you give to your cloth will determine what others call the cloth. Let us give ours the best names”, he implored.
Uduaghan said he was particularly excited at the SSPA reunion meeting because it was a gathering organized by Chief Clark and sponsored by him, adding that those who read between the lines would understand what he was driving at.
He said that after his recent widely publicized lecture in which he spoke about true federalism and 50 per cent derivation, some of his colleagues called him to say that he did not have a home base, as the leaders of the zone were not united.
The governor said those who attempted to poke fun at him would eat a humble pie when the news of the great union gets to them.
On his part, Prof Ijomah, who heads the reconciliation and harmonization committee of SSPA, said he was happy that the association was able to put its nagging problems behind, adding, “now that we are united, we will begin to open up”.
He said that the an
tagonism of the northern leaders was what they inherited from their founding fathers, notably Sir Ahmadu Bello, who, he alleged, told the late Owelle of Onitsha, Sir Nnamdi Azikiwe in 1960 that Nigeria was an estate of the North and they, North, would regard the South as a conquered territory.
Ijomah said the quest for power by the North was to perpetuate the agenda and sounded a warning that the South-South would reply word-for-word and fight-for-fight the hostile position of the North to President Jonathan.
SSPA chair, Chief Odigie-Oyegun said the fact that the region was in disagreement before yesterday’s meeting was not in doubt, and thanked God for the new spirit of unity that has taken over.
Former governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Alamieyesiegha said the people of South-South geo-political zone were proud of President Jonathan and would give him all the support to change the fortune of the country.
Former military administrator of Akwa-Ibom State, Air Commodore Nkanga said President Jonathan had done well thus far and should be supported by the zone and other Nigerians. He asserted that the days of improper governance and intimidation were over.
Otuekong Sunny Udom, one of the leaders from Akwa Ibom, said he was happy with the decision of South-South leaders to sink their differences and stand up for their rights.
Dame B. Ketebu threw her weight behind the resolve of South-South leaders to walk together and called for deployment of its first eleven in any political battle.
Senator Roland Owie, spoke in the same light, saying the zone should support its own, while a former military governor and chairman of Council of Elders, Cross River, Col P.A. Ogar (rtd.) said he was re-assured that the zone still remains the pillar of the country for resolving its internal problem, apparently masterminded by some forces to destabilize the zone.
Olorogun Ibru said new spirit of unity in the zone had made the people even stronger, while Brigadier-General Ikponwen said not many would believe that what happened in Warri was real, adding that the zone would support President Jonathan all the way.
Ex-IGP, Mr. Okiro said the South-South deserved more than what it had benefited from the Nigerian nation, adding, “we want 50 per cent, not 13 per cent derivation. There must be fiscal federalism, let every region develop with its own resources”.
Niger-Delta activist, Ann Kio-Brigs, said President Jonathan had been attacked on all fronts by those who do not want him to succeed, and called on South-southerners to support him.
National president of Foundation for Integration in Nigeria, John Ejidene Adie, however, said some people, for political reasons, had hijacked the interest of the South-South.
