2019: Buhari woos Niger Delta with conditional promises

• Pledges review of 13 per cent derivation allocation, federal appointments

President Muhammadu Buhari, at the weekend in Abuja, extended his lobby and overtures to the south-south region, offering to review the 13 per cent derivative revenue allocation and offer federal appointments to the sons and daughter of the zone. These promises were, however, conditional and had no signals of immediate implementation but were for considerations after receiving clarifications from president’s advisers.

President Buhari, hosting Traditional Rulers and personalities from Isoko, Delta State, led by His Majesty, Ovrawah, Omogha 1, Odiologbo of Oleh, at the Presidential Villa, noted that his administration will look into the constitutional 13 per cent derivation allocated to the Niger Delta states from the Federation Account to guarantee fairness in the distribution of development projects across the country.

National Daily gathered that President Buhari further promised the Isoko traditional rulers that his administration will study the constitutional provisions for Niger Delta development to encourage inclusiveness in the prioritization of Federal Government projects and federal appointments.

President Buhari had declared: “I have listened attentively to your address and I will still update myself with details of development in your area as it relates to oil and gas, and lack of infrastructure.

“I will look at the constitutional 13 per cent derivation and what previous governments have done, in order to know what we can do.”

However, the matter of 13 per cent derivation is a relation between the federal government and states in Nigeria’s federalism, not presidential relations with traditional rulers.

The President was further gathered to have acknowledged that the Isoko kingdom had very qualified citizens that have distinguished themselves in various professional and entrepreneurial skills in the country, showing his surprise that the Isoko nation was not adequately included in Federal Government appointments.

“I will revisit your address and ask for clarification. I will do my best on this issue,” Buhari had said.

National Daily also gathered that President General of the Isoko Development Union and spokesperson of the traditional rulers, High Chief Iduh Amadhe, praised President Buhari for “performing well’’ in leadership, while appealing to the president to review some anomalies in the spread of development projects in the Niger Delta.

“With eight oil fields of flow stations in Isoko land, we appeal to His Excellency to direct NNPC to establish a gas plant and a modular refinery in Isoko land. It will be beneficial to the nation and it will create employment and generate revenue,” Amadhe requested.