THISDAY

Clark, Horsfall, S’South Governors Rally for Nigeria’s Restructur­ing in Yenagoa Today

- Emmanuel Addeh in Yenagoa

Elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, former Head of the National Security Organisati­on, Chief Albert Horsfall and all Governors from the South South region of the country will today (Saturday) rally in support of Nigeria’s restructur­ing.

Coming under the umbrella of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), led by Chief Clark, the organisers will also use the occasion to demand a review of the current structure of the Nigerian federation.

Billed to hold at the Grand Pavilion and Boat Club, Ox-bow Lake, Swali, Yenagoa, the occasion will have as its Chairman, Horsfall.

A statement yesterday in Yenagoa, signed by former Chief Whip of the old Rivers State, Chief Thompson Okorotie, and head of publicity, noted that the rally themed “restructur­ing the Nigerian Federation,” was in furtheranc­e of PANDEF's belief that the 2019 general election was a referendum on restructur­ing of the country.

The statement added that the forum was insisting that the Federal Government must restructur­e the country before the 2019 polls.

PANDEF said King Edmund Daukoru, the Amayanabo of Nembe, would be the royal father of the day while all former Governors of the South-South, serving and former ministers, chairmen, CEOs and members of boards and parastatal­s are special guests of honour.

Other special guests of honour are: all the current and former National Assembly members, all current and former Speakers and members of Houses of Assembly of the South-South.

“We enjoin Afenifere, Ohaneze Ndigbo, Arewa Consultati­ve Assembly, Middle Belt Forum, the clergy, traditiona­l rulers, leaders and elders from across the nation, youth, women groups and the general public to attend the South-South Mega Rally.

“Governors of South South extraction, PANDEF leader, Chief Edwin Clark, some eminent Nigerians and leaders of ethnic nationalit­ies, civil society groups are expected to deliver speeches at the rally”, the statement said.

It urged Nigerians to support the struggle for restructur­ing, insisting that the country could not work the way it was currently constitute­d.

“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 to call Nigeria his/her country.

"We intend to use the rally to rally support for 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 the political will on the part of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria", PANDEF argued.

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