FORMER President, Goodluck Jonathan, South-South governors and other Niger Delta leaders will lead a mega rally today, to support the call for restructuring.
The rally, tagged: “Restructuring the Nigerian Federation,” is organised by Edwin Clark-led Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), and it is scheduled to hold in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital. It was learnt that PANDEF would insist that the country should be restructured before the 2019 general election. A statement signed by Chairman Publicity, of the rally, Thompson Okorotie, disclosed that prominent leaders of the region including Chief A.K. Horsfall and His Eminence, King Edmund Daukoru, the Amayanabo of Nembe, would lead the rally.
Okorotie also said former President Jonathan, the six South-South governors and all former governors of the region, incumbent and former ministers, chairmen and members of boards and parastatals, would grace the occasion. Others participants include current and former legislators representing the region at Federal and State levels. Okorotie’s statement also urged Afenifere, Ohaneze Ndigbo, Arewa Consultative Assembly, Middle Belt Forum, the clergy, traditional rulers, and elders across the nation, youth, women groups and the general public to attend the South-South rally.
He said: “The governors, former president Jonathan, PANDEF leader, Chief Edwin Clark, some eminent Nigerians and leaders of ethnic nationalities, civil society groups are expected to deliver speeches at the rally. “Fellow Nigerians; let’s restructure now, tomorrow may be too late. A restructured Nigeria will guarantee a free, fair, egalitarian, united, peaceful and prosperous nation where everybody, irrespective of region, religion, creed and status will be happy.
“We intend to use the rally to rally support for the restructuring of Nigeria. The 2019 general election is a referendum on restructuring. “We the people of Niger Delta/ South-South want the Nigerian federation to be restructured to enthrone true federalism before the 2019 general election, and it is doable, all that is required is a political will on the part of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.
