Abuja
02 July 2008
Ethnic leaders and influential groups from Nigeria's unruly Niger Deltahave rejected a government nominee to head talks on the unrest in theoil-rich region. The main armed group in the delta says it will notattend the conference. From Abuja, Gilbert da Costa reports manyanalysts are now skeptical the long-awaited summit will achieve much.
Theadministration of President Umaru YarAdua has repeatedly assured that apolitical solution to the Niger Delta crisis is a priority. Mr.YarAdua moved swiftly, after taking office, to engage the deltamilitants, promising to address their grievances and pledging formaltalks.
The government-sponsored summit has been touted as amajor breakthrough in efforts to ease tensions and threats to Nigeria'soil production.
The government says the appointment of former U.N.envoy Ibrahim Gambari as a mediator gives the Niger Delta issue aglobal perspective.
But several of the delta region's leadersare not impressed with the choice of Gambari, a Muslim from northernNigeria. Militant leader Tom Pullo spoke to VOA by telephone.
"We do not want an Hausa man to come and discuss Niger Delta matter," he said. "We shall resolve our matter."
Themain armed group in the Niger Delta - the Movement for the Emancipationof the Delta - has said it will not participate in the summit unlessits presumed leader, who is standing trial on treason charges, isreleased.
Critics say five decades of oil extraction from thedelta by foreign companies have polluted its land and water, leavingvillages impoverished while corrupt politicians and criminal gangsenrich themselves with lucrative trade in stolen crude.
Pullosays the government must take concrete measures to boost development inthe Niger Delta if it is to prevent attacks that have cut Nigeria's oilproduction by a quarter since early 2006.
"There is no equalrights and justice, as far as we are concerned," he said. "You cannot,for example, set up a Niger Delta Development Commission to empowerthem with money and you are not giving them the money to develop theNiger Delta."
It is not clear if Gambari will be replaced aschair before the summit, which is expected to get underway later thismonth.