Alhaji Abdulkarim Daiyabu, former national chairman of the Alliance for Democracy, AD, has opined that the oil in the Niger Delta region does not belong to the residents, therefore they should be relocated.

The ex-president of the Kano Chamber of Commerce, Industry , Mines and Agriculture, stated this in an interview with TheSun, according to him, anywhere oil is located in Nigeria, the inhabitants of the place should be relocated and be compensated adequately.

Daiyabu added that that should be included in the Nigeria’s constitution to stop the feelings of marginalisation, militancy and put an end to secession in the country.

He said; “This is my house. If I dig a well or hole and get kerosene, petrol or any mineral resources, to whom does it belong? Does it belong to me or government? Of course, government. That is the problem of the constitution. Public interest super cedes individual interest.

“If you go to the Emir’s palace today and dig a hole, and instead of water you get petrol, it is no longer an Emir’s palace. It is for the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Emir’s palace should be relocated elsewhere. The Emir should be compensated. When we started getting oil in a certain area, all the government should have done was to determine those to be affected and relocate them elsewhere.

“They should have been compensated adequately to continue with their lives elsewhere. If they are fishermen you take them to other riverine areas and even provide them with fish ponds. If they are farmers you take them to areas where they can get farmlands to farm.

READ ALSO: What they did not tell you about Atiku Abubakar

When asked if the the people of Bayelsa, one of the oil producing states in Nigeria should be relocated, he said; “Yes. They should be relocated. Even if it means building houses for them. You declare the area a ‘ federal government oil producing area’. That would have solved the problem of agitation in the South –South and South East. Now, they allowed it, and they are still there”.

“You only give money to some of the individuals for appeasement. That was the problem of the government of Ibrahim Babangida. He chose certain people to represent them there and he gave them money. And they keep thinking the oil is their own. How can it be their own? Look at how the governors are running the states. I keep telling you that these governors are thieves and looters of public treasuries.

“I am recommending that the revolution should start with the judiciary, and then the lawmakers. Look at how they pay themselves N13.5m every month. Yearly, they are making N290m including constituency projects.

“All those that are being suspected of stealing our commonwealth should be brought out to the public to face a Public Judicial Commission of Inquiry. So if the judgment is execution, so be it. Buhari should lead the fight in this direction.

Loading…