…Kick against 5% allocation to North East over Boko Haram insurgence
Mkpoikana Udoma 14 July 2014, Sweetcrude, Port Harcourt – Youths in the Niger Delta region, under the auspices of the Ijaw Youth Council, IYC Worldwide, have threatened war over the 18% oil derivation proposed for the region at the ongoing National Conference in Abuja as they also kicked against clamour for 5% revenue allocation to the Boko Haram-ravaged North Eastern part of the country over the activities of the Islamist insurgents.
They made this known in a statement titled; “Proposed 5% revenue for Boko Haram and 18% derivation: An invitation to war”, issued in Port Harcourt by the lawyer and spokesperson of the IYC, Comrade Eric Omare.
According to the statement, “The proposal by the Consensus Group of the National Conference to increase the derivation by a paltry 5% to make it 18% and also allocate 5% to the North as a result of Boko Haram insurgency is provocative, disgusting and an invitation to war.
“It is an insult to the Niger-Delta people for the Conference group to recommend only 5% increase to the derivation percentage from resources produced in the Niger Delta region on the condition that 5% of the nation’s revenue would be allocated to ‘fund’ and ‘encourage’ Boko Haram activities”.
The IYC which questioned the source for the 5% revenue for the North East, also expressed disappointment at delegates from the Niger Delta region at the Conference, who, it said, were mandated to demand for a 100% oil derivation for the region and not to compromise.
The statement read: “If we may ask, where would the Boko Haram 5% revenue come from? Is it from the oil and gas revenue of the Niger Delta region and taxes mainly collected from southern part of Nigeria or 5% of revenue generated from the Boko Haram sponsored states?”
“It has become obvious that Ijaw and Niger Delta delegates to the National Confab have run out of steam to resist the arrogance of their Northern counterparts and the IYC calls on them to return home honourably.
“They have failed to achieve anything for the Niger-Delta and have further endangered the people of the region. To increase derivation by 5% and allocate 5% to fund Boko Haram to kill more innocent children, women and Nigerians is the worst decision that any person on earth would be party to”.
“The Niger Delta delegates had a mandate to demand for 100% derivation and if there must be any concession, concede to nothing less than 50% derivation and if this is not accepted by other parts of Nigeria, then return home with honour and not to sell their birth right to Northerners.
“The youths and people of the Niger-Delta reject and would continue to resist the second class mentality being displayed by most Niger Delta delegates at the Confab. The Niger Delta has given up everything to sustain the unity of Nigeria and we are not ready to sacrifice anymore”.
The IYC further warned that the proposal to increase derivation “by only 5% and allocate 5% to ‘fund’ and ‘encourage’ Boko Haram activities” is an invitation to war, while stating that the Niger-Delta people would not under any circumstance accept what it describes as a ‘provocative proposal’ by the National Conference.