Henry Okah: Niger Delta Law Students Spoil For War
LAW students from the Niger Delta, Nigeria's volatile oil and gas region, are currently spoiling for war over alleged
worsening situation in the region. To this end, they are mobilising for a two million – man march to press home their
demands for socio-economic and environmental justice in the area.
They are appealing to Abuja to grant the Leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), Henry
Okah, who is currently facing treason charges, a presidential pardon with a view to ending insurgency in the oil region.
Messrs Demebide Pele, and Ajise Akpobaro, president and secretary respectively of the Niger Delta Law Students'
Association told our correspondent yesterday in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, that the association has since
appealed tom President Umar Yar'Adua to bring the violent conflict in the oil region to an end by yielding to their
demands.
The law students are praying the National Assembly to make the consequential provisions as provided for in Section 8 (5)
of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which provides for:
“An act of the National Assembly pass in accordance with this Section shall make consequential provisions with respect
to the names and headquarters of States or Local Government areas as provided in Section (3) of this constitution and in
parts I and II of the first schedule to this constitution”.
In the light of the foregoing provision, the association is appealing to the legislative arm of the federal government
to make the consequential provisions with respect to the names and headquarters of local government areas created by the
Bayelsa State House of Assembly during Diepreye Alamieyeseigha’s tenure as the governor of the state.
They are also appealing to Abuja for the sake of public interest, peace and tranquility in the Niger-Delta to enter a
nolle proseque (to discontinue the prosecution) in respect of Henry Okah’s prosecution as provided for in Sections 174
(1c) and 174 (3) of the 1999 constitution.
The students equally want government to grant a presidentia pardon to Alamieyeseigha as provided for in Section 175 (1)
of the constitution.
ENDS