The Pan-Niger Delta Forum has been asked by the governor of Bayelsa State, Douye Diri, to avoid getting involved in party politics and instead focus on defending the Niger Delta’s shared interests.
The group was not established as a partisan organisation, according to Diri, who made this claim when the PANDEF executive, led by its chairman, Senator Emmanuel Ibok-Essien, visited him in Government House, Yenagoa.
He commended PANDEF’s leaders and other participants for their efforts, especially the forum’s elder statesman and leader Edwin Clark, who has demonstrated leadership on numerous occasions on matters affecting the area.
The governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Daniel Alabrah, on Monday, acknowledged that PANDEF had made commendable efforts towards the growth and development of the Niger Delta.
He said, “PANDEF is an apolitical body. I advise that it remains so in order for its integrity to be intact.
“PANDEF is a voice in the Niger Delta and in Nigeria and it is contributing to the growth and development of our region. We appreciate the leaders because of the role they play in stabilising the Niger Delta and the Nigerian state.
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“We also appreciate our elder statesman, Pa Edwin Clark, who has given leadership to PANDEF.
“Our leaders have been at the forefront of our struggles and agitations, raising the issues from time to time. So far, we have not achieved our desired goals but we must continue to agitate for what rightly belongs to us.”
Diri also assured PANDEF of his administration’s continued support and directed the Ministry of Lands and Housing to provide a befitting accommodation for the body’s headquarters in Bayelsa.
“The Niger Delta should have a voice working for us at the national level. The forum needs to have synergy with governors. We used to have the BRACED (Bayelsa Rivers Akwa Ibom Cross River Edo and Delta) Commission, which is comatose but God willing we will bring it back on stream,” he said.
Earlier, the PANDEF national chairman, Senator Emmanuel Ibok-Essien, commended Diri on his administration’s impactful infrastructure development strides and for supporting Bayelsans, particularly during the floods.
Ibok-Essien, who said a 16-point agenda was presented to the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), also highlighted a number of issues bedevilling the Niger Delta area.
They include the plight of internally displaced persons, the National Water Bill, true federalism, and oil pollution among others.
A minute silence was observed in honour of the former PANDEF national chairman, late Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga (retd.) and the late deputy national chairman, Chief Francis Doukpola.
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