The foremost northern socio-political organisation, Arewa Consultative Forum, on Monday, backed the call for a review of the federal revenue formula.

The ACF, which spoke through its National Publicity Secretary, Anthony Sani, said the ‘huge allocation’ to the South-South, home to Nigeria’s vast oil resources, was injustice.

Sani, in an SMS to one of our correspondents, insisted that the collection of derivation fund on offshore exploration could not be justified by the Niger Delta.

He asked, “What does your sense of justice tell you when an oil-producing state collects as much as N24bn per month from the Federation Account while a non-oil producing state collects about N4bn or even less per month? Does offshore exploration also degrade the farming environment in the Niger Delta?”

Northern governors had recently asked for a review of the federal allocation, arguing that the revenue formula did not reflect “current realities” in the country.

Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum, Aliyu Babangida of Niger State, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, had said that the revenue formula should be reviewed to guarantee equity and fairness in the distribution of the nation’s wealth.

Aliyu insists on review

Meanwhile, on Monday, Aliyu reiterated the call for the review saying that the country’s resources was a “common patrimony.”

He spoke while delivering a lecture entitled, “Governance, Social Conflict and the Imperatives of Communal Harmony,’ at a lecture organised by Business Hallmark in Lagos.

“I deliberately did not expand much on specific issues like the current revenue allocation formula where some states are in paradise and some are in purgatory.

“We must remember that the idea of common nationality implies that the resources of the nation should be considered as a common patrimony for the common good of all the citizens.

“We need to examine our revenue sharing arrangement to balance derivation with need requirements to guarantee the continued economic and political health of the nation.

“This is so since there is no formula for restricting the citizens of a particular part of the country from settling in another part. In Niger State, we have free education policy for every Nigerian child. Citizens from Rivers, Bayelsa, Osun or any other states are entitled to the free education which we provide from our meagre ‘non derivation’ resources.

“I therefore appeal to my entire colleagues (governors) to be involved in deliberate efforts and activities to promote national integration and harmonious co-existence.”

Aliyu said Nigeria’s problem was not federalism per se but the country’s failure to operate it properly or to challenge the tendencies that frequently attempted to subvert its fundamental principles.

He recommended that power should be devolved to the states and local governments instead of concentration of power and responsibilities at the centre.

He described as abnormal the allocation of 52.8 per cent to the Federal Government while the states and LGs where the people live were made to share 47.2 per cent.

“A situation where the FG today takes 52.8 per cent with all the attendant wastages, leakages and abuses, while the states and the LGs take 47.2 per cent is abnormal,” he said.

The governor said conflict resolution in Nigeria required honest and capable leadership and good governance to reduce the level of unemployment, poverty, oppression, domination and marginalisation.

Demand divisive –Afenifere

But also on Monday, the Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere; Ijaw Republican Assembly; and the Ijaw National Congress warned that the North’s demand would divide the country.

The groups advised the North and other regions to develop their resources and stop depending on the “labour” of others.

Afenifere leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, warned the ACF and the northern governors not to “use the back door to alter the current formula”.

Fasoranti said, “They should not go through the back door to change the current status-quo of revenue sharing because that would be inequitable and could be counter-productive.

“What they should do is to assist the governors to look inwards and see how they could improve the internallygenerated revenue of their respective states by tapping into the natural resources and the agricultural products in their areas.”

Fasoranti said Nigeria’s post-independence leaders, the Sardauna of Sokoto, the late Sir Ahmadu Bello; the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo; and the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, developed the resources in their various regions which they used to improve the welfare of their people.

“In the interest of peace and good neighbourliness, they should leave the allocation of the oil- producing states that are currently benefitting from the 13 per cent derivation. The oil-producing states have every constitutional right to enjoy it,” he said.

No northern state suffers impact of exploration –Ijaw group

Also, the spokesperson for the Ijaw Republican Assembly, Ms Ankio Briggs, faulted the statement credited to the ACF that the offshore oil production did not impact on the oil -producing communities of the Niger Delta.

She said, “First and foremost, it is unbelievable that the ACF can say that the offshore oil production does not impact on the people of the Niger Delta. Did the Chevron gas explosion and the Bonga spill, occur in the states of the North?”

Briggs, who described the northern demand as a call against the unity of the country, said that they were making the demand to mount pressure on the President, adding that no one in the South-South would accede to the demand. She warned that any move to tamper with the derivation formula in favour of the North would trigger a response from the South- South.

INC asks every region to develop its resources

The National Secretary, Ijaw National Congress, Mr. Robinson Esitei, said he had expected the ACF and the governors from the North to indicate interest in the “grave gas explosion in Bayelsa” and how to put out the fire in the spirit of one Nigeria.

He called for the creation of 10 regions in the country in order to pave the way for the commencement of true federalism in the country.

He said that true federalism would make it impossible for “one person to sit down in his bedroom waiting for the benefit of the labour of another person who is in the field. Every person should work and reap according to his labour. Every region should control its resources and pay tax to the centre.”

Rep asks for stronger states

The Minority Leader of the House, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, told THE PUNCH on Monday that Nigeria would tackle its development challenges faster if the states were made to be stronger than the central government.

Gbajabiamila, who is the leader of the ACN, said that in such circumstances, each state would grow at its own pace.

He added, “We have always clamoured for a review of the revenue allocation formula in line with the principle of federalism. Our party believes in this and most opposition parties will back it when it is before the House.

“We want a situation where the states will be stronger than the government at the centre as is the case in a true federalism. It is not going to be on the basis of regions, but states; but if going on the basis of regions is better, so be it. Let each state develop at its own pace. The time has come and it is long overdue.

“In the House, we are definitely going to vote overwhelmingly in support of the review of the revenue formula.”

On the demand by non-oil producing states to be given a higher revenue stake, Gbajabiamila said that states with resources should have the right to control them.

When contacted, the spokesman for the House, Mr. Zakari Mohammed, responded that he would speak on the matter only when he had all the facts regarding the position of the House.

“I will speak on this issue tomorrow (today); I will have all the facts and our discussion will be better enriched”, he said.

The Deputy House Majority Leader, Mr. Leo Ogor, avoided the issue.

Ogor asked to be given 30 minutes when our correspondent raised the issue.

After the expiration of the 30 minutes, calls to his mobile telephone were not answered.

hahahahaahaha,

Laf wan killi me!

Let the cat and mouse game continue. Who does not know that it is this oil that IS keepinG Nigeria 'one'.

Yet, we all know that Nigeria is not one, has been one and will never be one.

they ACF has some points here,but they kill southerners living in the north too, so their argument is not based on the whole facts

Not to worry.
When an Awusa man becomes 'dictator' again. . .y'awl can reverse it.
Turn by turn Nigeria Limited.
You had your turn abi?
Time for South South to chop oil money!

[size=20pt]THE LIFE OF THE NORTHERNER ALMAJIRI :

IN THE STREETS OF NIGERIA :

BAMBIALA GIVE ME MONEY.

IN THE POLITICAL SPHERE OF NIGERIA :

BAMBIALA GIVE US MORE ALLOCATION .

ALWAYS BEGGING , BEGGING , BEGGING . NEVER CONTRIBUTING .  .[/size]

The groups advised the North and other regions to develop their resources and [size=16pt][b]stop depending on the “labour” of others[/b[/size]].

. . .what labour? The manpower employed in oil exploration and drilling and marketing is broadly distributed and not exclusive to SS.

Begging runs in their DNA