President Bola Tinubu has been asked to restructure Nigeria to address some of the injustices being suffered by others in the country.
Bayelsa State governor, Senator Douye Diri who made the call on Wednesday reminded that Tinubu also suffered from the injustice.
Governor Diri made the demand while speaking during the 15th memorial celebration of first civilian governor of River state, Chief Melford Okilo.
The Bayelsa State governor also renewed his call for the people of the Niger Delta region to be allowed to benefit from their God-given resources and pay tax to the federal government as it is done elsewhere.
He paid glowing tributes to the first civilian governor of Rivers State, the late Senator Melford Okilo, describing him as a nationalist who molded him politically who he eulogised as a political sage and visionary leader.
Governor Diri who described the late politician as his role model whom he studied closely, stressed that Okilo had a huge impact on his life and political career.
Diri’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, quoted him as saying that during his early days in politics, he ran for office under Okilo’s party, National Solidarity Movement (NSM).
According to the governor, he followed in the footsteps of Okilo, got involved in Ijaw activism and was exposed to the injustices he always complained about and sought to change.
He hailed Okilo as a leader that placed the interest of the people above personal considerations, stressing that his track record was responsible for his celebration even in death.
Diri urged the political class to emulate the late Rivers governor and shun the culture of violence just to occupy political office.
He also stated that the late politician should be celebrated as a nationalist and called on his Rivers State counterpart to join Bayelsa in the Okilo remembrance celebration.
He declared that going forward; the event will not be left for the people of Ogbia alone but will be a state event.
His words: “I am what I am today because of Chief Melford Okilo. I am one of those who took him as a role model. I read about him and what he did even before he became governor.”
“Following the footsteps of Okilo, I got into Ijaw activism and saw firsthand most of the things our father spoke against.
“He never accumulated wealth. Okilo was a nationalist that should be celebrated as such”, he added.
