Niger Delta group asks Yoruba, northerners to disregard quit notice

Chief Mike Loyibo, in an interview yesterday in Yenagoa, said the threat was not a true representation of the position of elders, leaders and people of the area, adding that the true stakeholders were committed to an indivisible Nigeria where everyone was free to live and do business.

• Groups urge leaders to industrialise South-South
• Say we need good governance not restructuring

The Niger Delta People’s Congress (NDPC) has called on Yoruba and northerners to disregard the quit notice by a coalition of agitators and former militants asking them to leave the oil-rich region on or before October 1 this year.

Its convener, Chief Mike Loyibo, in an interview yesterday in Yenagoa, said the threat was not a true representation of the position of elders, leaders and people of the area, adding that the true stakeholders were committed to an indivisible Nigeria where everyone was free to live and do business.

He said: “Despite years of oppression, our region has remained resolute and committed to one Nigeria where justice, equity and peace reign. “The quit notice should be disregarded and all Nigerians should feel free in the Niger Delta region.’’

Loyibo, who also flayed a similar notice handed down by northern youths to Igbo resident in their area, however, called on the National Assembly to, as a matter of urgency, revisit the issue of devolution of power to states.

In another development, the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM) (Chartered) has called on governments in the South-South zone of the country to create jobs for the youths in the area through massive industrialisation.

This, it said, would attract investors and make the youths to refrain from acts inimical to creating peaceful environment for the investors to operate.

The NIM, in a communique signed at the end of South-South zonal management summit held at Ibom Hall in Uyo by Chairman, South-South Zone of the body, Sir Emmanuel Okafor and Chairman, Akwa Ibom State Chapter of the body, Dr. Emmanuel Umana, said an effective planning and economic management at regional and national levels would bring about integrated development to the zone.

“Effective and productive leadership be it in the South-South or elsewhere, must be seen to be transparent and accountable to the citizenry. This increases goodwill among the people and the chances of elected leader succeeding in their endeavours. This promotes legitimacy, acceptance and most importantly, role modeling,” it said.

The body also advised politicians in the country to always work for the enthronment of good governance, stressing that without free and fair elections, such could not be said to have been achieved.

Besides, a group, the South South Reawakening Group (SSRG), has said that the “rancorous noise” for the restructuring of the country won’t resolve the myriad of problems in the polity. It said what Nigeria needed now is good governance.

At a media chat yesterday in Warri, Delta State, the group said if political office holders are accountable to the people and funds accruing to the various levels of government are judiciously utilised, the clamour for restructuring would not have arisen.

The leader of the group, Mr. Joseph Ambakederimo, said those making the call for restructuring are unequivocal what shape or style it would take.