The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, yesterday advised the Federal Government to handle environmental challenges facing the Niger Delta the same way it had handled the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East.
The governor also called on the Federal Government to treat the country’s geo-political zones with fairness to enhance the unity of the country, as the $1 billion released from the excess crude account to fight insurgency by the Federal Government was generated from the Niger Delta.
Wike reiterated his call for the release of funds from the excess crude account to tackle critical environmental challenges in the Niger Delta, stressing that there will be no excess crude funds without the contributions of the oil producing communities of the Niger Delta.
The governor, who spoke yesterday at the Government House, Port Harcourt, when he granted audience to the House of Representatives’ Committee on Local Content, said the country belonged to all Nigerians, urging everybody to join hands to move it forward.
He said: “There should be balance in the way the Federal Government handles issues affecting different parts of the country.
“We are not saying that the Federal Government should not tackle Boko Haram. But as they tackle Boko Haram with $1 billion, they must remember that the environmental challenges facing the Niger Delta are major security challenge.
“If something happens or there is a crisis in the Niger Delta, there will be no excess crude for anyone to draw from.”
Governor Wike said issues of development and security should not be politicised because political parties were mere vehicles conveying politicians to desired destinations.
“This country belongs to all of us. We must work to salvage Nigeria. We shall always talk about the interest of Nigeria,” he said.
He commended the Committee on Local Content for their contribution towards ensuring that Shell Plc did not leave Rivers State.
Earlier, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Local Content, Hon. Emmanuel Ekon, thanked the governor for providing quality leadership, which he said had revived the nation’s main opposition party.
He said prior to the revival of the PDP, Nigeria was heading for a one-party state.
“Governor Wike by his contributions had provided an alternative for all politicians, even those in the APC,” he said