Under the 1999 Constitution (as amended), oil producing states which are found mostly in the Niger Delta region of the country are entitled to 13 percent derivation oil revenue from the Federal Government.
The payment, which is based on oil producing quota from each of the states, is meant to ameliorate the negative impact of oil producing and exploration and to fast-track the development of the region which had suffered neglect from successful administrations.
It was meant to check militant activities of the region which heightened with the agitation for resource control many years ago. Though the agitation may have died down not because all the contending issues have been resolved but a sub-regional body, Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has taken up the mandate.
When Victor Attah was governor of Akwa Ibom State between 1999 and 2007, one critical issue that he had to deal with was that of 13 percent derivation which later snowballed into the campaign for resource control.
Quite vividly, Attah’s major complaint was that former President Olusegun Obasanjo was unwilling to pay the full 13 percent derivation to the state, adding that what the state was receiving at that time was far less than what was provided for in the constitution.
Under the current sharing formula, the Federal Government takes the lion’s share of 52.68 percent from the Federation Account. The 36 states of the federation take 26.72 percent, while the balance of 20.60 percent is given to the 774 local governments in the country.
Fast forward to 2018, nothing seemed to have changed as Governor Udom Emmanuel has also accused the Federal Government of not paying full derivation to Akwa Ibom State.
While the Federal Government is quick to withhold the allocation of states, when it is not answerable to any group on how it spends its share of the allocation despite the clamour for a new revenue sharing formula that should be in favour of the states and the local governments.
According to Governor Emmanuel, the Federal Government has withheld the derivation funds for the state, bringing financial constraints on the state government after it failed to remit N6.8 billion to the state government.
“As at today, they’ve withheld all our derivation funds, we have not gotten anything out of the derivation for last month. Within two months, they have dropped the allocation of Akwa Ibom State by N6.8billion, so you can imagine how much I was able to get, all in the name of politics. I’m still trying to pay salaries for July,” the governor cried out.
That has been the situation that states in the Niger Delta have found themselves and it appears it will persist with no hope of abating. While the states are grappling with the environmental degradation and the negative impact of oil exploration, they are at the same time being denied the benefit of the derivation fund which is clearly stated in the constitution.
Meanwhile, the governor has expressed the hope that if the PDP comes to power once again, it would address the injustice in the payment of the fund.
Speaking when he received Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, a presidential aspirant on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), he assured of fairness and sincerity in the process that would produce the candidate to fly the PDP flag during the 2019 presidential race, explaining that the party has deliberately refused to identify with any aspirant at the moment, in order to ensure a level playing ground for all aspirants.
According to the governor, “people keep asking the PDP, ‘who is your candidate?’. It is a pure deliberate act to allow democracy to thrive. You would never see any governor openly identifying with any presidential aspirant. All of us want to leave it on a free, fair and level playing ground”.
He expressed delight at the quality of aspirants from the umbrella party, vying for the ticket for the nation’s number one seat, hoping that Nigerians would appreciate the seriousness of the party when the array of intellectuals are eventually presented to them and voted for an opportunity for aspirants to briefly address the nation on a live programme to convince Nigerians on what the PDP was actually ‘ bringing to the table’.
While applauding the oratorical prowess of Turaki, and his eloquent analysis of the country’s problems, the State Chief Executive noted that such understanding would make it easier to correct the anomaly, wishing him success in his ambitions and reiterated that “Power belongs to God and if you are destined to get there, nothing can stop that from happening”.
He also appreciated the Director-General of the campaign organisation, for laying out salient points to consider in choosing the party flag bearer, pointing out, however, that the PDP is interested in ensuring that the Presidency remains in the North in the next political dispensation, adding, “so that they can complete their tenure and leave it for us and when it comes to the South, we’ll decide where it goes to”.
Emmanuel expressed the hope that every action taken and processes leading to the general election in 2019, would be aimed towards the success of the party and condemned the reckless disregard to democratic norms displayed by eight lawmakers in the Benue State House of Assembly.
On his part, Turaki lauded Governor Emmanuel for the achievements, describing him as the best performing governor in Nigeria and the pride of the nation, while applauding his dynamism in governing the state and attributed it to his pedigree in the private sector.
“I want to repeat it here, today, you are the best performing governor in Nigeria and the pride of the nation. This is not an accident, your background in the private sector as one of the few specialists in corporate governance in this country, placed you in a better position because not only do you have education, you have knowledge and experience”.
Turaki added, “The governor is an accomplished professional who has risen to the Zenith of his profession; that is why in Akwa Ibom, the system is not only working but working well, not only efficient but carries everybody along, giving everyone a sense of belonging. This is what we need in Nigeria”.
The presidential hopeful, who is a former Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, said that so far, his team has toured about 21 states in the country interacting with PDP faithful, stressing that the quality of leaders and supporters they met at the State Party Secretariat, was the best they had seen and maintained that their belief that Akwa Ibom is a core PDP state, was not misplaced.
He urged Nigerians to be careful in the calibre of people they elect into positions of authority to avoid individuals who have nothing to offer, to misgovern the country and destroy the economy, lamenting the situation in Benue State where eight state legislators, assisted by security agents, attempted to undermine clear provisions of the High Court and described the impunity as unfortunate and regrettable.
Turaki, who hails from the same zone with President Buhari, decried the high rate of killings and insecurity in the country, noting, “Never in our history have we been so divided in this country along regional, ethnic and other primordial lines, so much that Nigerians are beginning to doubt the workability of the Nigeria project. There is despondency, anger fear and there is mistrust.” He asserted that the country needs to be saved from imminent collapse.
He condemned the obvious neglect of the Niger Delta Region by the government at the centre, explaining that the injustice and failure of the Federal Government to honour agreements earlier entered with communities of oil producing states in the region, have given rise to restiveness, which he claimed, was justifiable.
Recounting the failed promises of the present administration, he also pointed out that the Nigerian constitution has been “hopelessly skewed”, promising that if given the ticket to contest and eventually emerge as the president of the country, he would ensure amendment of the constitution and laws against proper restructuring of the Nigerian nation as well as implementation of the 2014 Nigerian National Conference report.
He called for intense work and committed efforts to be able to actualise the aspirations of the people in resurrecting the economy, urging Nigerians to continue putting faith in the PDP as the party to deliver the nation from the plagues currently ravaging it. He indicated that the PDP has learnt from previous mistakes and working assiduously to effect corrections.
Earlier, the Director-General of the Campaign Organisation, Boni Haruna, said that the team was on consultation tour with a mission to try and secure the PDP Presidential ticket, adding that the concern of every party member, was, producing a capable candidate that would contest against the main opposition presidential candidate.
Haruna, who is a former governor of Adamawa State, said that Turaki is a credible candidate in all ramifications, in terms of integrity, character, resourcefulness and enormous knowledge to understand and conceptualise the problems of Nigeria and proffer sustainable solutions.
He recommended that the party should ensure that the PDP flag bearer is drawn from the same zone where the APC candidate comes from, explaining that it would minimise the risk of allowing room for block votes to be harvested by the opposition, during the election.
Haruna stressed: “Election is not only about winning but winning with substantial and reasonable margin that even the defeated, would have nothing to say. Let us have the best for the 2019 presidential election against the APC presidential candidate”.
ANIEFIOK UDONQUK, Uyo
