Political restructuring will end arm struggle in Nigeria - Foremost Niger Delta lead­er, Chief Edwin Clark

 

Foremost Niger Delta lead­er, Chief Edwin Clark, yes­terday reiterated his call for the restructuring of the Nigeria, stressing that only a genuine re­structuring of the political ad­ministration of Nigeria would resolve arms struggle in various parts of the country.

Clark stated this in his open­ing remark yesterday at a Stake­holders’ Consultative Meeting on the current insecurity in the Ni­ger Delta region with attendance by leaders of the various ethnic nationalities in the six coastal states of the region.

The Ijaw leader who con­vened the meeting, said solutions to Nigeria’s problems are con­tained in the resolutions reached at the 2014 National Conference.

He described the renewed militancy in the region as un­fortunate, pointing out that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government must find last­ing solutions to the various arms struggle ranging from Boko Har­am, Biafra, cattle herdsmen, kid­napping and militancy.

Clark called on militants in the region to cease from further bombing of oil facilities in the area as it was severely affecting the socio-economic and eco-sys­tem of the people.

According to him, “my strong belief is that only a genuine re­structuring of the political ad­ministration of the country will remove most of these problems in the country. With such, the is­sues that lead some of us to take up arms will be resolved.

“I posit that the answers to many, if not all, of these issues are contained in the Report of the 2014 National Conference. I salute well-meaning persons who have supported the call for restructuring the country.

“We must find a permanent solution to the various problems we are facing in this country in­cluding the youth revolt in the Niger Delta, Fulani herdsmen, Boko Haram, Biafra agitation, kidnapping and recently, the in­ability of the various states to pay their workers’ salaries and pen­sion.”

While commending the Pres­ident Buhari for indicating the willingness to to open line of di­alogue with the aggrieved niger Delta youths, Chief Clark stated such discussion should be chan­nel through genuine leaders from the region.

He added that resolutions reached at the meeting would go a long way to curb militants re­surgence in the oil-rich region saying that “we are here to seek and proffer solutions. We are here to chart a way forward to bring peace that will last, peace that will endure and peace that engender development to our region.”

Leaders from various ethnic nationalities drawn from the six coastal states of the Niger Delta region were in attendance includ­ing Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State.