- The APC chieftain said it is shocking that the national assembly has been quiet over the developments.
- Nigeria’s capital was moved from Lagos to Abuja on December 12, 1991, during the military regime of Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB).
former Acting National Publicity Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC, Hon. Yekini Nabena, has asked President Bola Tinubu to approve the relocation of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited NNPCL from Abuja to the Niger Delta region.
He also demanded that the relocation of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency NIMASA as well as the Nigerian Ports Authority NPA to the Niger Delta, while the Ministries of Solid Minerals as well as Mines and Steel be moved to Kogi state.
The APC chieftain also requested that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development be moved to Benue State where agricultural produce are in abundance to justify the plot to move part of the Central Bank of Nigeria CBN and Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria FAAN out of the Federal Capital Territory FCT.
The federal government had recently indicated plans to move part of CBN and FAAN to Lagos State for efficiency. The development has however generated lot of debates in support and against, especially by the Northern elite and leaders.
Responding to the development, Nabena, who suspected foul play about the presidential decision said it would appear that President Bola Tinubu did not believe in one Nigeria before he emerged President.
Nabena, who made reference to an interview Tinubu granted and published in April 11, 1997, titled ‘I don’t believe in one Nigeria – Tinubu’, said the presidency must come out clear on the real reasons for relocation of the two affected agencies and not the flimsy excuses given so far.
He said federal agencies are symbols of Nigerian unity and should not be played with.
The APC chieftain said; “If efficiency of these agencies is the main reason for the plan to relocate them to Lagos State, we from the Niger Delta are also asking that the NNPCL, NIMASA, NPA and others will be more effective in either Bayelsa, Rivers or Delta states.
“In the same way, the Federal Ministry of Mine and Steel should be moved to Kogi state where we have the Ajaokuta Steal for efficiency.
“I also believe that the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investments should either be relocated to Kano or Anambra states where trade is done in high proportion. In the same way, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture should be taken to Benue State, the food basket of the Nation.”
According to Nabena, the issue of oil companies relocating to the oil-producing Niger Delta region had been debated severally in the Nigerian Senate with the companies not heeding to the calls.
“The Senate had asked International Oil Companies IOCs to relocate their headquarters to the Niger Delta region to fast-track the host communities economic development but some powerful interests in Lagos are preventing this for their selfish interests”, he said.
The APC chieftain also expressed shock that the National Assembly is keeping quiet over some developments ongoing in the country, adding that the leadership of the 10th Assembly must tell Nigerian public where the Christmas money they shared came from.
He said; “Nigeria is being looted within six months of this government and the National Assembly is keeping quiet as if nothing is happening. The National Assembly has not seen anything wrong in the ongoing well-reported Betta Edu scandal where billions of our patrimony is being played with.
“This National Assembly must also tell Nigerians the source of money and bags of rice they shared for Christmas. If they were budgeted for or not, we deserve to know”, he declared.