Simon Ebegbulem
6 January 2009
Lagos — SOUTH South elders and Northern Union elders under the joint leadership of Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark and the leader of Northern Union Elders and former senate Leader, Dr Olusola Saraki, will on Thursday meet in Yenogoa, Bayelsa State, to discuss national issues.
According to a text message signed by Chief Clark, made available to Vanguard in Benin City yesterday, the Executive Governor of Bayelsa State will be the chief host while delegates are expected to arrive on Wednesday, 7th January 2009.
Vanguard learnt that the recently submitted report of the Niger Delta Technical Committee and that of the Constitution review Committee headed by the former Chief Judge of the Federation, Justice Muhammed Uwais and other issues bothering on the Niger Delta would be discussed extensively.
It was reliably gathered that the meeting is one of the efforts being made by Chief Clark to discuss in details most of the issues bothering the Niger Delta and also to solicit the support of the Northern leaders.
It was learnt that the elders who are expected at the meeting from both sides may not be more twelve.
The invitation extended to the elders, signed by Chief Clark stated that "you are kindly invited to an important meeting of South South Elders and Northern Union Elders taking place in Yenogoa, Baylesa State capital on Thursday, 8th January, 2009 at 10am.
The meeting is conveyed under my joint leadership and Senator Olusola Saraki, former senate Leader and Leader of the Northern Union to discuss national issues.
"Please make it a duty to attend as short notice is deeply regretted. The Executive Governor of Bayelsa State will be the Chief host. Delegates are expected to arrive on Wednesday 7th January, 2009 evening".
Contacted on the issue, Second Republic Senator, and one of the elders of the South, Senator Francis Okpozo, said that though he was yet to be informed of the meeting, but that any effort being made to address the injustices meted on the people of the region by government would be appreciated.
According to him, "I am happy today that we have achieved some thing. Like the issue of who heads the Ministry and the junior Minister are all from the region.
We have two things remaining now, and that is the issue of Rilwanu Luqman and the money voted for the Niger Delta Ministry and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). Luqman has always been incharge of the Petroleum Ministry so why can't a Niger Delta handle it now.
"He has worked in almost every government so why can't you give some body else the opportunity to serve. He cannot serve there for ever.
Let him remain where he is, he cannot occupy the Ministry all the time. Another issue is that the money given to the Niger Delta Ministry and the NDDC is peanut. Let them be sincere about the Niger Delta problem.
They should fund NDDC and the Ministry.
"So if the meeting is going to discuss all these no problem. But you know that it is the people of the Niger Delta that will decide their future not just a group of persons. So I expect that after the meeting, the people will look at the communiquéé and now make input on what ever was decided. So no problem about that at all" he stated.
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