Summit: FG, N-Delta leaders' talks hit rocks


A LAST-DITCH attempt by the Federal Government to rally South-South leaders behind it over the planned Niger Delta Summit hit the rocks, Sunday night, in Abuja with the South-South leaders rejecting the talks.

The Niger Delta leaders at the Sunday meeting told the Vice President to advise President Umaru Yar’Adua to shelve the planned summit as the region would neither attend nor have anything to do with the talks to be chaired by one-time External Affairs Minister, Professor Ibrahim Gambari

Leaders ask FG to implement past reports

“They told Jonathan that what Federal Government should do is to set up a body to appraise the various reports that have been submitted on the way forward for the Niger Delta, from the Willinks Commission of 1958 to 2007 and let the body come out with the things to be done or not done from the different reports, and then, the larger house like the stakeholders gathered, could be called to fine-tune and ratify the final report,” source said.

It was gathered that emotions were charged at the meeting when the issue of Gambari’s chairmanship of the rejected summit was raised and speaker after speaker lambasted him for his previous utterances on matters concerning the region.

One of the leaders from Rivers State was particularly angry, saying Prof Gambari referred to him and others, including the late Ken Saro-Wiwa as common criminals, adding that it was by the grace of God that he escaped death.

He queried why such a man who sees Niger Deltans as common criminals would be invited to preside at a meeting where the destiny of the people of the region would be discussed.
The statement by the Northern group, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), blaming Niger Delta elders for the militancy in the region did not help matters

source:http://www.vanguardngr.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=11387&Itemid=0

Professor Gambari is not the ideal man for the job.

There are notable Nigerians ;ike Soyinka, Anyaoku, Kukah, etc

@vikiviko
Bros,you just worse the situation,do these people possess any foreign conflict resolution experience.Gambari serves as a Neutral Mind who will remove chaff from grain and reveal the real image of the masquerade that is tormenting Niger-Delta.He is a man of Honour and respect.
Remember,He was invited from United Nation.i think you should suggest any other person in Nigeria that can withstand his credential, Your response to this will be highly appreciated

@Vikiviko
Kukah is not a good material for such a job. We all knew the way he was sleeping, winning and dinning in ASO rock with the devil OBJ without ever seeing any thing bad in his eigth years of bad governance. Infact, Kukah is a politician and istaunch member of PDP and one of the OBJ errand boys. We dey see o.

All these summit are just a waste of time.

My worry is the manner at which Yar'adua is going about the whole show, Gambari is not the most qualified for the job.

If you can remember he was the same person that was deceiving the world to understand the rationale and justification for the Abacha govt to have crucified Saro Wiwa.

another summit, more "reports", no change, same problem. Nigeria keeps running in circles.

This is Africa, where leaders are expected to have a great influence on the people. Here I mean traditional or conventional leaders and not political leaders.

In the name of peace for the "niger-delta" some people call themselves leaders and have been attending confrences, residing in 5 star hotels, collecting monies in form of royalties, support and sponsor militancy and some participating in illegal oil bunkering. why have these leaders not found an imminent solution all this while? why another conference?

I have no doubt in my mind that just like Gambari said _{with the exclusion of Ken saro-wiwa} these guys are criminals.
another waste of money at the detriment of the common man.

the government, Gambari inclusive, who loot the public treasury to the tune of N240 million daily are a bigger criminals

I never believe in any of these their conferences or truth commission or whatever name they choose to call it. It won't work. The solution is simple; develop the niger delta period. For Prof Gambari to say that is very wrong as he has lost my respect. He should choose his words next time, if there would ever be one.

Abi ooo. Most of you have hit the nail on the head.

Another summit after all the previous ones.

Enough is Enough abeg

l believe Niger delta people would be making fool of themselves if they attend the summit.

Always speaking big grammar yet nothing to show. Let's just say Nigeria is a carousel.

Radiant:

Always speaking big grammar yet nothing to show. Let's just say Nigeria is a carousel.

luv2talk:

@vikiviko
Bros,you just worse the situation,do these people possess any foreign conflict resolution experience.Gambari serves as a Neutral Mind who will remove chaff from grain and reveal the real image of the masquerade that is tormenting Niger-Delta.He is a man of Honour and respect.
Remember,He was invited from United Nation.i think you should suggest any other person in Nigeria that can withstand his credential, Your response to this will be highly appreciated

so what? ever heard of emeka ayoku, the main issue is the fact that the people whom the issue affect the most are not interested in gambari being in charge of what ever meeting,
indirectly the so called reconcilation has even hit a brick wall before it has started

vikiviko:

My worry is the manner at which Yar'adua is going about the whole show, Gambari is not the most qualified for the job.

If you can remember he was the same person that was deceiving the world to understand the rationale and justification for the Abacha govt to have crucified Saro Wiwa.

abeg tell them ooo,if u ask me am begining to suspect this our president(same ol same)
this gambari isnt even from miles near niger delta ,some thins going on in that aso rock(according to our beloved presidor the best persons qualified to head his various cabinets are between ony the states of sokoto to kaduna) ie when he was asked on tv why all his cabinet members are from the north
God dey.

Quite frankly Gambari is neutral and was appointed by the United Nations, so those of you quick to jump on Yar'Adua please hold it. The UN had a say in it.

But if the Niger-Deltans are unwilling to work with Gambari then another person needs to be found, because forcing Gambari on them will only make matters worse.

Personally I doubt that the so-called leaders of Niger Delta really do care for the people. They are looking for their own interests. I was all for Kofi Annan, and do hope that he will eventually be chosen. Maybe then we will see whether these Niger-Deltans are criminals or really care for the people.