Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State has said the country’s “lopsided” federalism practice has hindered the development of states, calling for a review of revenue derivation formula in line with the practice of fiscal federalism.

Diri, who queried the existing practice where resource-endowed states in Nigeria, particularly in the Niger Delta, get 13 percent as monthly allocation from their resources, insisted that it was wrong to describe Bayelsa as insolvent and unable to exist without monthly federal allocation while its resources were being expropriated to Abuja and shared to other states in the country.

Speaking over the weekend in Houston, Texas, when Ijaws in the United States of America and Canada conferred on him the award of “Icon of Unity and Social Justice” as part of the three-day 2024 convention organized by Ijaw National Congress (INC)-Americas, Diri appreciated the organisers for upholding the Ijaw tradition and culture even in the diaspora.

Former Nigerian first lady, Dame Patience Jonathan; Minister of State for Petroleum (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri; as well as renowned author and Ibenanaowei of Ekpetiama kingdom, King Bubaraye Dakolo, were honoured.

Diri said: “The leadership of the Niger Delta has been with the Ijaws over the years. Now it looks like we are getting tired. But we should not. We have to continue with our leadership role while galvanising support from our neighbours and brothers in the region.

"The Niger Delta is an area that should be better than it is if we were allowed to use our resources for our development. Since I arrived this country, what crossed my mind has been how Bayelsa would be if we practised true federalism whereby we get 100 per cent of our revenue from oil and gas and not 13 per cent as it is today. Maybe we would have had one small Houston in Yenagoa.

"You cannot take away the resources in my state and the internally generated revenue that would have accrued to us and expropriate it in the name of Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC). Every month end, the 36 states in the country gather in Abuja to share resources accruing from my state and they still come back to insult us that our state is insolvent.

"I have never seen anywhere in the world where the essence of the FAAC is to share revenue only from oil and gas. What about the revenue from other mineral resources like gold? Why are they not also shared? This is the naked truth,” he said.

He urged them not to allow the fire of Ijaw nationalism that has been ignited to extinguish and ensure that the annual event was sustained while promising the support of his administration.

Onogiede:
See my brother just wake up,..Abuja and Lagos are among top Africa great Cities been built by Niger Delta Oil Funds. Tomorrow they will be telling people to go back to their state in Same country..

darikhua:
What kind of disunited talk is this from a governor?

iluvdonjazzy:
Bayelsa state is one of state that get bigger allocation than more than 30 other states, can you account for it Mr. Thief.

Faiththatworks:
I totally agree with the Governor of Bayelsa state,it's madness to claim Bayelsa is insolvent and can't survive without Federal Allocation,yet its oil and gas revenue is shared by 35 other states every month.
I believe it's high time the revenue due to the oil producing states be increased to 50%.
It's financial laziness for states like Osun,Kogi, Zamfara,Lagos and all the other states to expect revenue from the Oil and gas mined in Niger Delta state.
What did these states contribute financially to the mining of oil and gas in the Niger Delta states to expect any form of revenue.
The bible tells me you reap what you sow,what have these states sowed in the Niger Delta states in the last 30 years that they are continually paid revenue from the Oil and gas mined in these regions.
Enough of the Unity Fear,let every state in Nigeria mine their natural resources,keep 50% of the resources and transfer what's left to the Federal purse.
If anyone isn't comfortable with this suggestion,then it's time to start rethinking this project called Nigeria.
God bless Nigeria

Sapeleboy911:
Although I don't like this Diri of a man, I am in full support of what he is saying. Why share only crude oil from the Niger Delta? What happens to other mineral resources, being mined daily in other regions of the country.

Why not allow the states to manage their resources themselves and remit to the FG? This is unfair to the ND regions I must say.

These are some of the reasons that made me support and voted for GEJ, hoping that him being from the ND region, will make some amendments. But being a bu**f*n and an asslicker he ended up trying to please his cabal to the detriment of his own region.

Since the GEJ mess, I don't go near a polling unit, or waste precious time that I will use to place bets on useless elections again. As far as bet365 is not banned in Nigeria, citizens can continue voting for useless leaders, na them go still hear am.

iluvdonjazzy:
Bayelsa state is one of state that get bigger allocation than more than 30 other states, can you account for it Mr. Thief.

Creamypie:
See this thief. With only 8 local government, of which some parts are water, its not an excuse for you and ur gang to steal aggressively

Onogiede:
See my brother just wake up,..Abuja and Lagos are among top Africa great Cities been built by Niger Delta Oil Funds. Tomorrow they will be telling people to go back to their state in Same country..

darikhua:
What kind of disunited talk is this from a governor?

Creamypie:
See this thief. With only 8 local government, of which some parts are water, its not an excuse for you and ur gang to steal aggressively

iluvdonjazzy:
Bayelsa state is one of state that get bigger allocation than more than 30 other states, can you account for it Mr. Thief.

MEEVEET:

Is that an excuse to steal their oil money?