Group demands restructuring or no election in region

Over 60 Niger Delta Young Leaders, who met in Port Harcourt on July 8 unanimously demanded 100% resource ownership, control and management and the restructuring of the current faulty political and economic architecture of Nigeria.

The stakeholders, which included Assembly members, present and former commissioners, and government appointees, in a communique issued at the end of the meeting said Federal government must restructure Nigeria or forget oil blocks and the 2019 general election in the Niger Delta region.

The meeting which was convened by Mr. Moses Siasia, former governorship candidate in Bayelsa state and Chairman/Founder of the Nigerian Young Professionals Forum noted that they are determined to put aside ethnicity and stand as one Niger Delta.

"We must go back to the round table and discuss the principles of equity and justice and this must take effect from the highest seat of power to the communities which will birth true federalism in a new people’s constitution. As a people united for our future, we must act now," the group said.

It further added that the issues facing the Niger Delta require both collective and personal responsibilities.

"We are resolved to look inward and beyond our ethnicity in the Niger-Delta so as to build a united region. We therefore call on all Niger Deltans to work together in tackling the deep rooted problems facing our people and environment, and define the future of the Niger Delta.

"The Young Leaders also resolved to carry out proper sensitization programmes in states across the Region and promised to engaged with critical stakeholders on their desire to move the country forward on the basis of fairness, justice and equity."

It also condemned "all forms of hate speech emanating from any part of the country".