Abuja, Aug. 9, 2021 (NAN) The Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development (SCDDD) says the call for national dialogue by the Niger Delta leaders is in line with the centre’s aim of mainstreaming a whole of society-driven national dialogue.
Executive Director of the centre, Amb. Sani Bala, in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja, said the organisation was committed to promoting consensus on workable pathways to durable peace, national unity, security and sustainable development.
Bala, however, said that the centre does not share the spirit and intent of the three-month ultimatum issued to the Federal Government to convey a national dialogue of the representatives of the ethnic groups to chart a new course for the country by the Niger Delta.
He explained that what the centre sets out to achieve was a patient and rigorous dialogue for consensus by all stakeholders on peaceful and systematic ways of addressing major challenges of governance and nation-building.
According to him, the centre is aware that achieving these takes time and resources that it considers it unrealistic to propose nor support any timeline to the Federal Government.
Bala said that without any prejudice or iota of intent to downplay the import nor challenge the right of the Niger Delta people to express their views as reported by the media.
” The centre wishes to refer to a section of the report in which the Niger Delta leaders reportedly gave ultimatum to the Federal Government.
” Thus: we the people of Niger Delta hereby give the Government of Nigeria a three-months window, within which to cordially address our concerns towards re-federalizing the polity.
” By convening a national dialogue of the representatives of the ethnic groups in Nigeria to chart a new course for the country.
“At the expiration of of this three-months window, we the people of Niger Delta will commence the process that will guarantee our freedom and progress.
” While the call for national dialogue by the Niger Delta leaders is in line with the Centre’s main aim of mainstreaming a whole of society-driven national dialogue to attain consensus.
” The Centre does not share the spirit and intent of any ultimatum at all,” he said.
Bala appreciated the media for the wider dissemination of its on-going national unity project, disclosing that a lot of positive contributions have been received from different ethnic nationalities.
