Lamido wants 100% resource control
Oil producing states should be allowed to take 100 percent oil revenues, Lamido Adamawa Alhaji Muhammadu Barkindo Mustapha has said.
He also suggested that states with no oil resources should in turn take a 100% of their land resources.
Lamido’s remarks were well received by especially delegates from the South-South geopolitical zone where oil is found.
The traditional ruler spoke yesterday at the National Conference while commenting on the inaugural speech of President Goodluck Jonathan.
“Mr Chairman, I have observed that some people have started jumping the gun by commenting on issues like resource control, resource ownership, etc.
“In this case, let me also jump the gun and say that states which don’t have oil should allow states which have oil to take a hundred percent oil revenue and states which don’t have oil should take a hundred percent land resource.
“That means, all lands should revert to those states and anybody who wants to use the land or the structures on the land must pay rent to those states or the traditional owners of the land. For example the FCT,” he said.
Lamido also said that he doesn’t support calls for providing constitutional roles for traditional rulers.
“Mr Chairman, as a traditional ruler, I don’t support
the idea or opinion to give us any role in the constitution. Our roles are conventions like the British constitution and we have been performing them for hundreds of years and in some places for over 1000 years,” he said.
He added: “What traditional rulers in Nigeria want is recognition. So, I am pleading with this conference to please include in the next constitution a provision which will entrench a National Traditional Rulers Council of Nigeria whose membership will be three traditional rulers from each state, including the president of the traditional rulers council in that state.”
He started his speech by advising delegates not to derail from the guidelines set by the president. “In his address, he (the president), almost exactly laid down our problems and challenges and he went ahead and told us, or advise us, to be moderate, tolerant, considerate and magnanimous in our discussions.
“Fellow delegates, I will like to advise us once again to take a cue from Mr. President and not the so-called civilised people of the West who would tell us they have no permanent friends but permanent interests and who advocate same sex marriages.
The monarch also lashed against some delegates who condemned him over his last speech at the conference.
He wondered why “people like Chief Ayo Adebanjo who even in his prime age of 86 is still ranting.
“Mr Chairman, I have observed (shouts of point of order rent the air), point of order, why didn’t you shout point of order when he was castigating me on Monday last week?
“The other day, I heard an ethnic nationality delegate saying that his people are marginalised because a district head was appointed in their area which they don’t support. Mr Chairman, we shouldn’t listen to these ethnic chauvinists because if you agree with their argument, we will end up with a situation in Nigeria where every ethnic group would demand that it has president, governors, emirs, obis, obas, ministers, chairmen of local governments,” he said.
He said majority of Nigerians are tolerant. “Mr. Chairman, the major tribes in Nigeria are tolerant, considerate, magnanimous, otherwise, we will just find ourselves in a different situation in Nigeria today.”
Oil revenues account for about 90% of monies that accrue to the federation account annually, but agriculture with 43% surpasses oil as the major contributor to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).