Bayelsa gov consults Buhari on restructuring, power devolution

Demands new approach to national security

By Lawrence Olaoye

Bayelsa State governor, Henry Seriake-Dickson, yesterday consulted President Muhammadu Buhari on the need to embrace the call for restructuring of the country and allow for power devolution for sustainability of the polity.
Briefing newsmen after meeting the President behind closed doors, Seriake-Dickson noted that the security structure in the country was also obsolete, stressing that there was a need to meet the prevailing security challenges with fresh approach
He said ideas from the federating states regarding their peculiarities must also be taken into consideration when overhauling the security apparatus.
Asked his mission to the State House, the governor said, “I am here this afternoon to see the President and to confer with him on critical national issues and also on issues that are pertinent to the stability, security and development of Bayelsa State and the Niger Delta region. And we had a very fruitful discussion and I am grateful to the President for the opportunity he afforded me to intimate him on the challenges and also of the prospects.”
On his discussion with the President, he said “We talked about the need to revisit the Brass energy, we talked about the need for change in approach to security management in the Niger Delta. We talked about the challenges of stabilizing the Niger Delta and the need for federal support.
“We talked about a whole range of other issues including what we think should be the final response to the ongoing debate about devolution and I believe that we had a very fruitful interaction”.