…Says it won’t give much consideration to Tanko Yakassai’s comments on regionalism

By Henry Umoru

THE Pan-Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, led by the South South leader, Chief Edwin Clark has taken a swipe at Alhaji Tanko Yakassai on his position that regionalism cannot help Nigeria any more, saying that the Elder statesman and his kind must come to realise that the precarious situation in which Nigeria as a country has found itself cannot be corrected by continuing with the extant faulty structure, and lopsided governance framework. 

Responding to Yakassai on Wednesday, PANDEF said that it will not give much consideration to his comments on regionalism that Nigeria’s problems cannot be solved by merely reverting to the regional system of government as was obtained in the First Republic. 

In a message to Vanguard yesterday, the National Publicity Secretary of PANDEF, Ken Robinson said, “Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, won’t give much consideration to Tanko Yakassai’s comments on regionalism that Nigeria’s problems can’t be solved by merely reverting to the regional system of government as was obtained in the First Republic. This is a position, he has reiterated several times in recent years. 

“PANDEF also notes that the well-known, northern Elder Statesman had, in the past, also made similar inferences on calls for the restructuring of the country. The reason for his conjectures is known, to sustain the skewed status quo.

“Tanko Yakassi and his kind must come to terms with the fact that the precarious situation in which the country has found itself cannot be corrected by continuing with the extant faulty structure, and lopsided governance framework. 

“And that the patriotic clamour for the restructuring of Nigeria is a quest for a better and more egalitarian country.

“Though PANDEF’s position on restructuring does completely align with the idea of regionalism, it is unarguable that Nigeria was a fairer country in the First Republic. “PANDEF upholds three broad areas as the essence of the quest for Restructuring viz: True Federalism and Devolution of Power, Fiscal Federalism and  Resource Justice, as well as, the Composition of the Federation – the Federating Units.

“The 1999 Constitution undermines the principle of federalism by the overt concentration of power and resources at the centre, which has impeded national development, security, peace and stability. There is, therefore, an urgent need for decentralisation or devolution of powers to the states from the federal government. Most of the 68 items in the Exclusive Legislative List in the Second Schedule, Part 1 of the 1999 Constitution should be expunged from that List.

“What we are demanding under Restructuring is a reversal to the fundamental principles and provisions of the 1963 Constitutional. 

“In the First Republic, the Regions received 50% of revenues through derivation. Today, the sad reality is that those who contribute little or nothing get plenty, while those who contribute so much, get so little?

“We will not cease to underscore the devastation that oil and gas exploration activities have done to our hitherto luxuriant ecosystem and the callous neglect of the region and its people.”