The resolution by the Niger
Delta Youth Coalition to support the emergence of a Duly elected
president of Northern extraction in 2007 is based on the
following :
First and foremost is that in the spirit of genuine
reconciliation in the country, it is most appropriate and fair
that a northerner be president in 2007 when the south under
president Olusegun Obasanjo would be serving out his double
tenure of eight years.
The second is that having studied the political history of
Nigeria, we have discovered that our fathers have strong
political alliances with the north and we wish to maintain this
path. We strongly believe that if we support the North to
produce a president in 2007;the North would in turn support the
south to produce the next president at the expiration of the
tenure that would begin in 2007.
We traced the History of civilian Administration in the country
and discovered that only President Shehu Shagari happened to be
the Nations civilian president from the North and he served for
only four years and 3 months while President Olusegun Obasanjo
from south is serving 2 terms of four years each and Dr Nnamdi
Azikiwe who served as president. Put together the south has
served for too many years compared to the North Under Civilian
regime.
Again , our interest for a president of Northern extraction
makes more sense to us because the development policies of the
Niger Delta region under Northern Rule has always been
favourable to the Niger delta Particularly the OMPADEC which
metamorphosed to what is today known as NDDC. It is ironical
that none of the presidents from the south seriously considered
development of the oil rich region as the Northern Rulership in
power have always done.
More so, so much untapped solid Minerals abound in the North. It
is our belief that a Northern president would be interested in
developing these resources when he emerges as president than
would a Yoruba or Igbo- man as shown under Chief Olusegun
Obasanjo and Dr Nnmadi Azikiwe regimes.
We are of the belief that the North would see need of our 50% as
standard derivation formula recommendation for the country. As
the huge solid mineral deposits in the North is being properly
developed, same 50% would be for them. It is to be noted however
that the 50% derivation is not a Niger Delta Issue but a
National Issue aimed at promoting the National economy to be
enjoyable by any section of the country for whatever there input
is in the national economy
Finally I appeal to all our Elders to see reason and lets put
our hands together to make this country move forward.
Niger Delta Youth Coalition ( NDYC
)
No 2 Anokwuru street , Mile 1 Diobu
Port harcourt, Rivers state
08033414288,08035055715
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