The Niger Delta Self-Determination Movement (NDSDM) has reiterated its demand for a holistic overhaul of the Nigerian politico-economic policy.
The group demanded, amongst other things, “100% ownership, control, and management of natural resources and the restructuring of the Nigerian federation along fiscal federalism.”
NDSDM pressed their demands in a press release issued on Friday, 21st of June 2017 in Port Harcourt, and made available to Elombah.com.
The statement was signed by the Convener, Ms Annkio Briggs and Chimenma Okolo, Emmanuel Udoh and Rosemary Graham-Naingba.
Their demand came against the backdrop of the quit notice order given to Ndigbo by the Arewa youths in the northern parts of Nigeria.
The Arewa youths will later reiterate their demand in a letter to the Acting President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) asking him to allow Ndigbo to exit the Nigerian Federation via a referendum.
NDSDM also knocked Prof. Ango Abdullahi for “the false and misleading claim… that oil was developed with groundnut money from the North”, saying its “attempt to rewrite history”.
While, applauding the letter of the Arewa youths to the Acting President; Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) for a UN supervised referendum for Ndigbo in the South East, they also demanded that such a referendum be extended to all the six states of the South- South.
In conclusion, indigenous peoples of the Niger Delta ‘unequivocally affirm their unalloyed support for all ethnic nationalities desirous of and fighting for self-determination’.
The statement reads in full:
At an emergency meeting held today 21st of June 2017 in Port Harcourt, the Niger Delta Self Determination Movement (NDSDM) reviewed the current state of the Nigerian Federation.
The meeting dispassionately reviewed the North of Nigeria quit notice order given to Ndigbo by the Arewa youths which position was recently reiterated in a letter to the Acting President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) asking that the Acting President allow Ndigbo to exit the Nigerian Federation via a referendum.
Consequent on the above, the NDSDM resolved as follows:
1. That we are emphatically and irrevocably committed to the demands contained in the Niger Delta Indigenous Peoples Charter with our irreducible minimum demands being 100% OWNERSHIP, CONTROL, and MANAGEMENT of our natural resources and the restructuring of the Nigerian Federation along fiscal federalism.
We again condemn in the strongest possible terms the false and misleading claim by Prof. Ango Abdullahi that oil was developed with groundnut money from the North in attempt to rewrite history as the spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum is nauseous.
2. That we view with suspicion the quit notice order to the Ndigbo by the Arewa youths, it is our belief that the order is a smokescreen to engage in another genocide and pogrom against all Southerners living in Arewa land.
The motive behind the order is same as exactly 50years ago, diabolical and brimming with evil intentions against not only Ndigbo but also against the Indigenous peoples of the Niger Delta and, in fact the entire Southern ethnic nationalities.
It is worthy of note that till now the Nigerian security apparatchik has failed to arrest any of the signatories of the said notice to unravel their true intentions.
We therefore urge our people (all southerners) living in the North to be very vigilant, be on their guard and not to let their defenses down. We state without equivocation that any attempt to forcefully eject our people (Southerners) living in the North shall be met with the same measures in the Niger Delta.
3. That whilst we applaud the letter of the Arewa youths to the Acting President; Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) to order for a UN supervised referendum for our brethren, the Ndigbo in the South East, we the indigenous peoples of the Niger Delta of over 40 ethnic nationalities demand that such a referendum must be extended to our land in all the six states of the South- South political zone, as we are equally tired of the over 100 years of stifling and oppressive system from the amalgamation of Lord Lugard to the system prevalent to date in the Nigerian federation.
4. The Niger Delta Self Determination Movement lists the following “sins” the Arewa North have committed against the Ndigbo; these “sins” include but is not limited to the religious killings at the slightest or no provocation at all, against the Niger Delta, the expropriation of our oil wells and gas fields while sponsoring political and economic violence in our communities, environmental genocide (ecocide) and the well documented use of the military to commit genocide against oil producing communities.
5. That we view with dismay and disbelief the latest attempt via threats and intimidation by the Arewa youths under the auspices of Northern Youth Leaders Forum to exclude Southern Candidacy for the 2019 Presidential elections.
This latest attempt at strong arm tactics is contained in a statement warning Southerners off the Presidential race in 2019 thus: “we want to reiterate and clearly warn that the NORTH WILL NOT AND WILL NEVER ALLOW THE PRESIDENCY TO MOVE TO THE SOUTH in 2019”, this statement is condemned in the strongest possible terms by the NDSDM as it is ill advised and runs counter to all known democratic norms and culture.
We therefore call all lovers of democracy all over the world, particularly the United Nations to take note of this veiled call to use threat and violence to intimidate Southerners who are equal partners in the project Nigeria.
We call on the UN to note the threat of violence from the Northerners against the Southerners of Nigeria over the forth coming 2019 elections.
6. In conclusion we of the NDSDM unequivocally affirm our unalloyed support for all ethnic nationalities desirous of and fighting for self-determination.
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