ACN faults review summit in Ogoni

Action Congress of Nigeria, Rivers State chapter, has described the constitution review summit held in Bori, the headquarters of Ogoni, as a sham and a mockery of democracy.

A statement by the Publicity Secretary of the ACN in Rivers State, Jerry Needam, indicated that the outcome of the Bori conference was not the consensus of the Ogoni people and should be discarded.

The statement in Port Harcourt on Tuesday maintained that another review session was imperative to pave the way for a more representative position of Ogoni people.

Needam observed that the constitution review session in Bori by the member representing Khana/Gokana Federal Constituency, Mr. Morris Poronem, was faulty on account of its poor attendance.

He said, “The main stakeholders in Khana and Gokana Local Government Areas like the chairmen, councilors, recognised traditional rulers did not participate in the event.

“Other stateholder like the youth representatives, human rights activists, intellectuals, students, serving and former lawmakers and women groups were denied participation in the exercise due to poor publicity.”

“There also appears to be an evident disconnect between the member representing Khana/Gokana Federal Constituency as a result of alleged non-accessibility and poor representation at the National Assembly,” Jerry Needam further observed.

Meanwhile, Oil Producing Ethnic Nationalities in Nigeria has demanded an amendment to Section 162 and related aspects of the Constitution, relating to natural resources.

The group, in a memorandum to the House Committee on the review of the 1999 Constitution, a copy of which was made available to our correspondent, oil producing nationalities from Abia, Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Rivers, Ondo and Imo states, while calling for retention of sections 162 (2) (a) and (b), however sought for a new sub-section, 162 (2) (c), to be included in the proposed new constitution.

The communities in their memorandum among others are asking that the 13 per cent derivation fund, to oil producing communities be paid as, “first line charge,” from the Federation Account.