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The Quest for Political Restructuring and Resource Control in Nigeria: The South-South Experience

Paul, Gloria Mayine, Odey, Ferdinand Echa,

Abstract


Abstract Nigeria is presently confronted with series of challenges ranging from insecurity, economic depression and political upheavals arising from the agitation for the political restructuring of the country. These challenges are the result of the lop-sided and imbalanced distribution of political, economic and developmental resources by the central government which controls the entire resources in the country. The South-South region has been at the centre of this agitation for resource control as it remains the hen that lays the golden egg. The bulk of the oil that yields revenue for the country is derived from that part of Nigeria with nothing in terms of tangible development to show for the long years of its exploitation, a development which has generated violent and armed conflict from militant activities in the region. This study which is purely qualitative with reliance on secondary sources of data attempts to highlight the experience of the Niger Delta region in the quest for resource control and political restructuring. The paper discovers that inequity in the distribution of the proceeds of the oil wealth, lack of social amenity, environmental degradation, defective federal structure and the conspiracy between the elites and Transnational Oil Companies are the contributing factors for the agitation for resource control and political restructuring in the region. It suggests, among others, a return of the greater percentage of oil wealth to the region of origin and participation of the oil bearing communities in the oil and gas sector and the devolution of power from the centre to the states among others and concludes that a diligent implementation of these recommendations can help address this situation. Keywords: Political Restructuring, Resource Control, South-South, Niger Delta, Nigeria..


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