We Only Had Issue Of Onshore/Offshore Dichotomy “Settled” And Not Resource Control – Ibori

Erstwhile Governor of Delta state, Chief James Onanefe Ibori, has said that the issues of derivations in the resource control struggle which he, alongside some former South South Governors championed then is still a burning issue in the country.

He said that contrary to belief in some quarters that 13% derivation had laid the struggle to rest, the fight for resource control in the country has just began.

Ibori, spoke at the launch of the book, ‘Attah On Resource Control’ written by the former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Obong Victor Attah, at the Nigeria Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Lagos on Thursday.

According to THISDAY report, Ibori noted that contrary to the impression being created, what has been “politically settled” between the oil producing states and the federal government was the issue of onshore/offshore dichotomy and not the issue of derivation.

He said: “The derivation aspect of the agitation for resource control has not been settled, we still have a long way to travel. Let me tell you, during the struggle, every single person in the Niger Delta region supported the advocacy; today, they are still holding passionately to the idea.”

Ibori who recalled that leaders like Governor Bola Tinubu among others shared the passion as himself, Attah and the late Diepreye Alamieyeseigha on the resources control issue.

He lamented that the people of the Niger Delta region who bore the brunt of oil exploration and exploitation still have nothing to show for all their sacrifices, adding their woes were being made worse in recent time by the way and manner security agents are destroying the illegal refineries in the region.

He cried that this has created so much environmental degradation that is even worse than when he was in government.

Julius Eras-Olabowu