• Order member states to promulgate anti-open grazing law by Sept. 1
• Security agencies must inform govs before any operation in states
Two months after their May 11 meeting in Delta State tagged the ‘Asaba Accord’, the Southern Governors Forum, on Monday, met in Lagos State on Mondsy where they declared that Nigeria’s next president should be from the southern part of the country.
Other far-reaching decisions arrived at as contained in the communiqué released, which was signed by the convener, Ondo State Governor and Chairman, Southern Governors’ Forum, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), include a rejection of the proposed allocation of at least 30 per cent of the profit generated by the proposed Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited for the exploration of oil in ‘frontier basins’ as identified by Section 9 of the recently passed Petroleum Industry Bill; setting a timeline of September 1, 2021 for promulgation of the anti-open grazing law in all 17 member states; and asking that security agencies must notify them as chief security officers of their states before they carry out any operation within their domain.
The governors unanimously agreed that the presidency of Nigeria be rotated between Southern and Northern Nigeria.
Specifically, the Southern governors want all the major political parties to field politicians from the South as their presidential candidates as they did in 1999.
The communiqué read: “The Southern Governors Forum re-affirm its commitment to the unity of Nigeria on the pillars of equity, fairness, justice, progress and peaceful co-existence between and among its people.
“The Forum reiterates its commitment to the politics of equity, fairness and unanimously agrees that the presidency of Nigeria be rotated between Southern and Northern Nigeria and resolved that the next president of Nigeria should emerge from the Southern Region.”
PIB
ON the PIB recently passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives, the governors commended the “National Assembly for the progress made in the passage of the PIB, but rejected the proposed three per cent and support the five per cent share of the oil revenue to the host community as recommended by the House of Representatives.”
The Forum while rejecting the proposed 30 per cent share of profit for the exploration of oil and gas in the basins, also rejected the ownership structure of the proposed Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), saying that “the company be vested in the Federal Ministry of Finance but held in trust by Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), since all tiers of government have stakes in that vehicle.”
The bill will regulate the oil sector if signed by President Muhammadu Buhari. Although the proposed law doesn’t identify the frontier basins, a statement by the President in 2019 identified the frontier basins as Chad Basin, Gongola Basin, Sokoto Basin, Dahomey Basin, Bida Basin, Benue Trough, among others.
Currently, crude oil is obtained from eight states in the Niger Delta region, which include: Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo and Rivers states.
SECURITY
ON security, Akeredolu said the Forum reviewed the security situation in the country and commends security operatives for their relentless efforts in restoring security and safety while commiserating with families and loved ones of those who have fallen in the line of duty.
While emphasising the need for state police, it, however, resolved that henceforth, security agencies must notify governors as chief security officers of their states before they carry out any operation within their domain.
The communiqué didn’t explicitly mention the recent raid of the Department of State Services (DSS) on the Ibadan residence of Yoruba activist, Sunday Adeyemo, also known as Sunday Igboho, but the decision of the governors was a veiled reference to the incident.
The governors also frowned on selective criminal administration of justice and resolved that arrests should be made within the ambit of the law and fundamental human rights.
Other positions canvassed in the communiqué include: “That funds deducted from the Federation Account for the Nigeria Police Security Trust Fund should be distributed among the States and Federal Government to combat security challenges; In order to consolidate our democracy and strengthen the electoral process, the Forum rejects the removal of the electronic transmission of election result from the electoral act; and also rejects the confirmation of exclusive jurisdiction in pre-election matters on the Federal High Court.”
Governors present at the meeting included host, Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos); Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (Ondo); Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti); Dapo Abiodun (Ogun); Seyi Makinde (Oyo); Nyesom Wike (Rivers); Adegboyega Oyetola (Osun); and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu).
Others are Emmanuel Udom (Akwa Ibom); Diri Duoye (Bayelsa); and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia); Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta). Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, was represented by his deputy, Philip Shuaibu, same for Imo, Placid Njokwu; Abia, Oko Chukwu; and Ebonyi, Kelechi Igwe. Those absent without representation were Anambra and Cross River State governors, Willie Obiano and Ben Ayade respectively.
