Monday, June 15, 2015
Lagos State Must Get Special Status, Compensation From @MBuhari -Falana
Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), has asked the Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, to approach President Muhammadu Buhari and demand that Lagos State be duly compensated for single-handedly bearing the economic burden of Nigeria.
Falana said this at an event in Lagos to commemorate the annulled June 12, 1993 election.
He said even though Lagos State was not an oil-producing state, the lifting of crude oil and other related activities were done in Lagos and were having adverse effects on Lagos, infrastructure.
He noted that Lagos had the busiest airport and seaport in the country and was not being given adequate attention by the Federal Government.
He said, "Lagos State occupies a prominent place. As long as we have this distorted federalism, Lagos must go further and demand its rights in the constitution. All the pressure is on Lagos. This is the time for Lagos to ask for a special status because every graduate comes to Lagos.
"I will like to inform the governor that in respect of a judgement of the Supreme Court regarding resource control which states that if resources are being mined in your state, it is entitled to some privileges. Lagos is entitled to certain rights just like some of the Niger-Delta states.
"All the shipping activities are done in Lagos, all the aeroplanes are flying over Lagos. Lagos must go to Abuja to ask for compensation for what it is contributing to the country."
The senior advocate said Lagos State must lead by example by championing the economic revival of the South-West geopolitical zone.
Falana said the state could not continue to boast of being the richest state in Nigeria and yet be surrounded by Osun and Ekiti states which are grappling with economic crunch and kidnapping respectively.
He said, "A Yoruba adage says that a rich man in the midst of 200 poor people is the leader of the poor. If people cannot be paid salaries in Osun State, if there is kidnapping in Ekiti State and if there is poverty in the South-West, Lagos cannot continue to boast of wealth. Lagos must join and lead the economic rejuvenation of the Yoruba land which Chief Obafemi Awolowo governed and we are all proud of. Lagos must be part of the Odua investment, you cannot be alone."
Falana said Buhari must not remove fuel subsidy but should rather recover the monies that have gone missing through the monumental fraud in the petroleum sector.
Falana said this at an event in Lagos to commemorate the annulled June 12, 1993 election.
He said even though Lagos State was not an oil-producing state, the lifting of crude oil and other related activities were done in Lagos and were having adverse effects on Lagos, infrastructure.
He noted that Lagos had the busiest airport and seaport in the country and was not being given adequate attention by the Federal Government.
He said, "Lagos State occupies a prominent place. As long as we have this distorted federalism, Lagos must go further and demand its rights in the constitution. All the pressure is on Lagos. This is the time for Lagos to ask for a special status because every graduate comes to Lagos.
"I will like to inform the governor that in respect of a judgement of the Supreme Court regarding resource control which states that if resources are being mined in your state, it is entitled to some privileges. Lagos is entitled to certain rights just like some of the Niger-Delta states.
"All the shipping activities are done in Lagos, all the aeroplanes are flying over Lagos. Lagos must go to Abuja to ask for compensation for what it is contributing to the country."
The senior advocate said Lagos State must lead by example by championing the economic revival of the South-West geopolitical zone.
Falana said the state could not continue to boast of being the richest state in Nigeria and yet be surrounded by Osun and Ekiti states which are grappling with economic crunch and kidnapping respectively.
He said, "A Yoruba adage says that a rich man in the midst of 200 poor people is the leader of the poor. If people cannot be paid salaries in Osun State, if there is kidnapping in Ekiti State and if there is poverty in the South-West, Lagos cannot continue to boast of wealth. Lagos must join and lead the economic rejuvenation of the Yoruba land which Chief Obafemi Awolowo governed and we are all proud of. Lagos must be part of the Odua investment, you cannot be alone."
Falana said Buhari must not remove fuel subsidy but should rather recover the monies that have gone missing through the monumental fraud in the petroleum sector.
@blackboxupdate
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