APC restructuring panel doing a good job – Dickson

Gov. Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa has praised Governor Nasir El-Rufai APC’s panel on restructuring for doing a good job.

Dickson stressed that Nigeria was in dire need of devolution or restructuring in order to guarantee stability.

He stressed the need to expand the scope of consultation on the restructuring, saying that all parts of Nigeria needed to be carried along, especially the leadership of Northern Nigeria.

Dickson told journalists on Thursday after he updated President Muhammadu Buhari on security and socio-economic developments in Bayelsa and the Niger Delta region.

Dickson, who held a closed door meeting with the President, said he stressed the need for change in approach to security management in the Niger Delta during the meeting.

The governor, who described his interaction with the president as fruitful, said the meeting also deliberated on the issue of devolution of power.

“So, I thank the President for availing me the opportunity to share perspectives on very serious issues on security, stability and development of Bayelsa and the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.

“We talked about the need to revisit the Brass energy; we talked about the need for change in approach to security management in the Niger Delta; we talked about the challenges of stabilizing the Niger Delta and the need for federal support.

“We talked about a whole range of other issues including what we think should be the final response to the ongoing debate about devolution and I believe that we had a very fruitful interaction,’’ he said.

The governor reiterated the determination of his administration to continue to partner with the Federal Government and security agencies to advance and consolidate security of life and property in the region.

He said: “Governors of the Niger Delta region are doing a lot and as governors we will continue to do our best, working with the security agencies, we should be apolitical in supporting constituted authorities in the states.

“We expect that this interaction will yield positive results.’’ (NAN)