The first gladiator of oil derivation and established in 1981, Rev. Sokari Soberekon has without hesitation tasked the Niger Delta governors to join him to sue the federal government of Nigeria to court over taxation of oil derivation fund.
The 71 year old man said justice is costly than war,” adding that he could not do it alone, hence he appealed to all Niger Delta governors to fund him to hire the services of a team of SANs in prosecuting this noble cause.
He pointed out that some of the governors were teenagers when he started the fight stressing that governor Amaechi was 16 years old and Governor Seriake Henry Dickson was 17years old then.
The outspoken activist stated that they may not know all this, but now that he has opened the eyes of the Niger Delta governors they should not fold their arms to allow this injustice go on against the people of Niger Delta.
The former sole administrator of Port Harcourt city local government and five combat sports who is now clergy, said he is still very much ready to fight for the noble oil taxation war he started earlier in his younger days. He said, he won’t give up because Bishop Tutu never gave up in fighting for his people, except the Niger Delta states governors give up.
According to him, Alhaji Shehu Shagari that approved and the military that announced the oil derivation formular did not put a clause of taxation, saying that it was haters of Niger Deltans that included the taxation clause to it.
He stressed that Late Prof. Ambrose Ali of UPN, mid Western state, who took Alhaji Shehu Shagari to court over the oil derivation, did not ask for taxation of oil derivation, adding that the case was thrown out by the then National People Party (NPN) till he (Sokari Soberekon) met Alhaji Shehu Shagari, one on one, where he told Shagari to go away from Rivers State that Rivers people are not voting him again.
“This made Late Senator Melford Obiene Okilo, the then executive governor of old Rivers State to tell Alhaji Shehu Shagari, “this is Rivers strong man, listen to him” which Shagari has no choice but said, “I approve oil derivation,” adding that it was what made him and other Rivers people to back Shagari which enable him win his second tenure.
The never give up activist warned that a stitch in time saves nine, this generation must correct this great injustice against Niger Delta people. ####
Allanso Jonathan Allanso
