THE on going revelations on corruption in Nigeria, especially in the nation’s oil sector, and the already excruciating destabilising activities of Boko Haram in Abuja, has heightened fears of fresh separatist insurrections in the Niger Delta and other parts of the country with many re-echoing the call for sovereign national conference.
The latest U.S diplomatic cable released recently from the whistle blower, Wikileaks has made allegations of corruption against some powerful Nigerians.
They were alleged to have helped themselves from monies made from the oil Industry.
The allegations were contained in a report in which the United States was considering a response to the corruption machine entitled, ‘Corruption: Nigeria ‘ improves’ to sixth worst in the whole world what can we do about it?’
It followed a Transparency International 2005 annual corruption report.
For example, the revelation mentioned Ex- governor James Ibori, who is currently facing trial in London and Ex-governor Lucky Igbinedion.
It also included Minister of Petroleum, Edmund Dakoru alleged to have been charged in 1994 for embezzling $47 million as Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
The charges, the report said, were abandoned and Dakoru’s political career soared during the Obasanjo regime.
A ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain in Akwa Ibom State, Ekerete J. Ekerete, who expressed worries over the reports from Wikileaks, said that the convocation of a sovereign national conference has become inevitable for all ethnic groups in the country to fashion out the type of country they want.
His call for national conference was in consonance with Dr. Federick Faseun, the founder of Odua Peoples Congress (OPC), who spoke in an interview at the weekend that the Boko Haram onslaught has revalidated the call for a conference of Nigerian ethnic nationalities.
Already, there has been unease in the South East following the frustration of its citizens over the destruction of their businesses occasioned by attacks in the northern part of Nigeria.
In addition, constant attacks on churches and Christians in that part of the county had displaced them both economically and socially.
As a result, this has fueled the feeling of alienation in the Ndigbos from the region, who believed that they have been marginalised from the centre of power, economically and in other sectors of the nation.
Wikileaks current expose on the putrefying corruption in the oil sector has virtually rubbished some eminent Nigerians for having allegedly recieved kickbacks in the sector.
Ekerete who is a staunch supporter of Governor Godswill Akpabio said at the weekend that the huge amount of dollars involved in the alleged kick back deals ‘is enough to resolve the problems of the Niger Delta, and transform the oil bearing communities.
It is very scandalous that our past presidents were sharing $60 million a month as kickbacks from NNPC, while the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives took home $30 million each as their share of the windfall.’
‘Going by what is tumbling out of Wikileaks, it does appear that high level of corruption in Nigeria is worse than the rampaging Boko Haram.
The whole drama is becoming a moral burden to government when compared with the alleged graft record of the late General Sani Abacha, Nigeria certainly owe the family of the late Head of State, an unreserved apology,’ the PDP big wig said.
He said the country on a daily basis is sinking into one form of mess or the other, adding, ‘if all those involved do not apply the breaks now, the country is likely to degenerate into something more terrible than the current security challenges.’
On what the people of Akwa Ibom should expect from Akpabio, he said, ‘the governor is focusing on industrialising the state so that every Akwa Ibom son and daughter will be able to find lucrative jobs and run profitable business.
The infrastructural base of our state has improved greatly. The confidence some of us have in the administration is that when he hands over in 2015, those who doubted him will be put to shame.
‘Those who love and appreciate beauty have been saying that Governor Akpabio has raised the standard of governance in the state.
The 2015 politics will be very tough for an average performer. It is only those who have what it takes to surpass the record of Akpabio that will be considered by the electorate.
Those masquerading around the corner, are pretenders.’