Niger Delta to soon form political party

Segun Fatuase Lagos Indigenes of the Niger Delta, a region endowed with a large oil and gas deposit in the nation's coastal belt, may soon form a political party to articulate their position on socio-economic and political issues with the objective of seeking appropriate solutions to them. Indications to this effect were made during the deliberations at the first International Conference on the Niger Delta in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.
Participants at the conference, which sought to give a global perspective to various acts of economic deprivation and political repression by successive governments, agreed largely on the need for the zone to fashion an appropriate strategy to establish, strengthen and sustain the Niger Delta states especially in the area of resource control and the empowerment of the people, particularly at the grassroots.
As part of its resolutions at the end of the conference, it was agreed that political leaders and indigenes in Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Delta, Rivers and Edo States should work towards the formation of a political party that would make the issue of resource control its main plank in the 2003 election.
The development, it was indicated, was a reaction to the alleged continued neglect of the region that accounts for over 90 % of the nation's foreign exchange earnings, which stemmed from the lack of political will by the federal government in pursuing developmental programmes in the Niger-Delta.

Another possible reason for the formation of a political party was given by the Union of the Niger-Delta (UND) which recently kicked against a possible 'gang up' against ethnic minorities by the three major political group of Arewa, Afenifere and Ohaneze Ndigbo. UND had expressed fears that the resurgence of this 'Wazobia' syndrome will not augur well for the zone politically.
Apart from the reported apathy of the Federal Government to the plight of the region, the people were also calling for the abrogation of obnoxious legislation specifically targeted at the region, particularly the Petroleum Act 1969, the Land Use Act 1978, the Inland Waterways Decree 1977, the offshore/onshore oil dichotomy as well as the reluctance of government to ensure the full payment of the 13 % derivation fund.
In the interim, the indigenes of the region have urged the Federal Government to ensure peace and the safety of lives in the area by withdrawing all troops from the oil producing communities. Meanwhile, the indigenes have called for the formation of a Niger-Delta forum to regularly articulate the views of the region and respond to any development affecting the welfare of the people.