The meeting
comes at a time Niger Deltan militants have commenced new agitations
The Pan Niger
Delta Forum, led by Edwin Clark, recently gave the federal government an
ultimatum
Some of those
at the meeting include Timi Alaibe, Ewa Henshaw, Tony Uranta, Hosa Ogunbor and
Godknows Igali Prof Yemi Osinbajo, Nigeria’s acting president, met with some
top Niger Deltan leaders over renewed threats from the region late Thursday,
July 3. The team, under the aegis of Pan Niger Delta Forum, was led to Aso Rock
Presidential Villa by Chief Edwin Clark, an elderstatesman.
A report by
Punch said the leaders and Prof Osinbajo met behind closed doors inside the
villa in Abuja. Vanguard reports that the group revealed what actually happened
at the meeting with Osinbajo.
According the
group, it has withdrawn the November 1 ultimatum given to the government to
meet its 60-point demand. Speaking with journalists after the meeting, Ibe
Kachikwu in charge of petroleum ministry said: “Several issues were discussed
issues relating to University at Okerenkeko, issues related to development in
Niger Delta generally, issues related to the amnesty program and how well it is
working, issues related to NDDC operations in Niger Delta.
“It was very exhaustive, we looked at the 16
point agenda how far we have gone. “Today was environment of peace, calm
friendliness and mutual dialoguing of issues so that they will understand where
we are coming from and some of the most pressing concerns that they have.
“Obviously PANDEF as a very responsible organisation always alerts us where
there is an alarm bell that is going on. I think I see the ultimatum more in
terms of alarm bell. “Small urgency that is required to do certain things. It
is not an alarm in the sense of we are going to pull off the top relationship.
““They did in fact placed their loyalty and
their willingness to work with us to find solutions to the problems and the
Acting President took notes of them. ““It wasn’t an ultimatum it was a warning
for the needs of urgency. The alarm is that we need to hurry up with a lot of
problems, people are frustrated, people are tired. People want to see positive
action in all the problems. “They probably think that we are not fast as we
should be.” The NDF had issued an ultimatum asking Muhammadu Buhari's
administration to meet its 60-point demand by November 1. include the Amayanabo
of Brass, Alfred Diete-Spiff, a former Governor Victor Attah and Don Etiebet.
Others include
Timi Alaibe, Ewa Henshaw, Tony Uranta, Hosa Ogunbor and Godknows Igali. The
meeting reportedly came at a time of renewed threats from militants in the
region.
Meanwhile,
Oyebols.com reported earlier that all seems not to be well with the Pan Niger
Delta Forum, a coalition of elders and leaders of the region as the Movement
for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), says it has withdrawn its
representatives in the PANDEF over irreconcilable differences. Jomo Gbomo,
spokesman of MEND, while announcing the withdrawal accused elders of the forum
of insincerity, claiming they were all silent during the regime of former
President Goodluck Jonathan.
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