Pan Niger Delta Civil Society Groups on Wednesday August 2 stated that Nigeria’s Senate President, Bukola Saraki is playing ethnic card for rejecting the bill for the devolution of power, igberetvnews is reporting.
A statement signed by the President, Niger Delta Security Watch Organization of Nigeria, Barr. Dickson Bekederemo,President Ijaw Peoples Development Initiative,Comr, Austin Ozobo and the National President, Foundation for Human Rights and Anti-Corruption Crusaders,FHRACC, Alaowei Cleric Esq said,”Sen. Saraki’s inexcusable excuse that the Senate rejected the Bill for the devolution of power because of hate speeches across the Country only shown to us that the Senate President is playing the ethnic card.”
“Saraki merely doing the bidding of the core North who have been the greatest albatross to a true federal state of Nigeria.”
According to the group,” If hate comments were the reason then the National Assembly ought to have voted in favour of it because restructuring is the panacea to addressing the socio-political divisions in the Country. Saraki’s tune in defending the Senate’s undemocratic and unpopular decision clearly shows that he was speaking for the North, his region and not Nigeria as a whole. A situation where someone hold the views of some few persons against the popular views is a demonstration of ethno-religious chauvinism.”
The group also described that the present 1999 Constitution as the worst of its kind.
The group stated that the constitution only contained decrees of military Fiat enacted to favour a particular section of the country, while the vast majority of the people from other regions or sections are regarded as second fiddle human beings or political serfs to the feudal lords.
The group also said that,” socio-political/religious crisis currently ravaging the Country is a fall out of this constitutional melee. Since the inception of this present democratic dispensation, the various regimes have initiated moves just to arrest situation but all to no avail.”
The group opined that the recommendations by the constituents assembly in the 2014 National Conference Report would have been a good palliative to address some of these constitutional malaise that have eaten deep into the fabrics of our corporate existence.
The group also noted that the All Progressives Congress, APC who promised to restructure the Country in its “meretricious manifestoes” has chosen to consign the Conference Report in the political dustbin.
“Alas, the end to Nigeria’s existence is seems in sight gleaned from the calls by different ethnic groups to dismember the Country due to the unbalanced fault lines foisted on the people by the British imperialists.”
While noting that Nigeria is battling with the problems of colonial”blunders” the group stated that the years of bickering and acrimony among the diverse ethnic groups which in turn has set the Country on war path between the two principal regions of the North and the South is as a result of the lopsided political formula.
“In spite of this quagmire which hitherto has been threatening the very foundation of our corporate existence, the constituents assemblies which make up the federation have not been given the opportunity to enact a Constitution that best suits our interest.”
The group warned that Nigeria may be history in the hands of the present Government unless the All Progressives Congress,APC takes the bull by the horn to effect a constitutional amendment to contain the agitations for restructuring.
“The Country is on the thin line of destruction. Only God can save it.”
The group stressed that the arrays of ethno-religious resentments have occupied the minds of Nigerians can only be addressed through political restructuring of the Country.
The group who was reacting to the vote against restructuring by the National Assembly said members of National Assembly who were holding the ace to save Nigeria from the imminent precipice have failed the people they represent.
The group further stated that the President Muhammadu Buhari All Progressives Congress, APC led Federal Government should be held responsible should anything happen to Nigeria.
