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PANDEF Leadership: Militant Groups Disagree Over Clark
Three militant groups, the Niger Delta Revolutionary Crusaders (NDRC), the Reformed Niger Delta Avengers (RNDA) and the Pan Niger Delta People’s Congress (PNDPC) have disagreed over the leadership of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF).
Specifically, NDRC rejected calls by RNDA and PNDPC for the former Federal Commissioner for Information and Convener of PANDEF, Chief Edwin Clark, to step aside as leader of the oil-rich region.
Rejecting the demand in a statement by the spokesperson, W O I Izon-Ebi, the NDRC maintained that PANDEF and Clark remained the mouthpiece of the region, and advised the Federal Government to “keep to its own side of the bargain by giving specific timeline on the implementation of the various agreements reached with the region.”
NDRC also called on the Niger Delta Avengers to break its silence on the feud between PANDEF and PNDPC, “because its prolonged silence is seen as tacit support for the blacklegs and traitors in the region.”
Its words: “These so called traitors of the Niger Delta are calling for Pa. E.K. Clark to step aside because of his age. We want them to understand that the contributions of Pa. E.K. Clark towards the development of the Ijaw nation and the Niger Delta as a whole predate the six- year reign of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and the formation of PANDEF.
“Their claim that Pa. E.K. Clark was Goodluck’s godfather is hogwash, it has no basis and it is not in tandem with the demand for resource control, justice and equity that the Niger Delta people are clamouring for. Rather, it is a distraction employed to thwart the collective aspiration of the Niger Delta region and its people.
“The fatherly and elderly statesman role of Pa. E.K. Clark cannot and would not be sacrificed on the pecuniary altar of the blacklegs.
“The question is: What does Pa E.K. Clark want at his age? It is time Niger Deltans put on their thinking caps and reason.
“If Pa E.K. Clark can be accepted by other stakeholders of the Niger Delta, irrespective of tribe, cutting across the six Niger Delta states, including the state governors and government of the Niger Delta states, distinguished personalities like Obong Victor Attah, A.K. Horsfall, Alabo Graham Douglas, King Alfred Diete-Spiff, Ambassador Godknows Igali, Timi Alaibe, among others, then, the antics of the Coordinator of PNDPC, Chief Mike Loyibo should be called to question,” the group said.
“We wonder if Loyibo has the pedigree and capacity to lead these prominent and distinguished personalities of the Niger Delta,” it added.
The group said: “The Niger Delta Revolutionary Crusaders, the 21st century youths of the Niger Delta and affiliate agitators have observed with dismay that after the successful meeting between PANDEF and the Federal Government on the 3rd of August, 2017, that there has been covert and overt measures to stall the progress of the talks, putting the ceasefire and détente declared by the NDRC and its affiliate organizations into jeopardy.
“The Federal Government and PANDEF agreed and adopted PANDEF’s 16-point agenda and also presented a 20-point agenda and other palliatives to cushion the effects of oil exploration, unemployment, poor infrastructures and other issues plaguing the Niger Delta region and its people under the Pa E.K. Clark -led PANDEF.
“The Federal Government at the behest of Prof. Yemi Osibanjo equally told us that they have adopted PANDEF’s 16-point agenda for the Niger Delta.
“Therefore, the traitors of PNDPC and quest of Chief Mike Loyibo to hijack the mandate of PANDEF would surely end in futility. The divide and rule technique, that has been used on the Niger Delta and its people for ages would not work this time around,” it also said.
The group said, “We want to use this medium to warn the Federal Government that the existing peace and détente was predicated on the agreement between it and us. We demand that the Federal Government keeps to its own side of the bargain by giving us a specific timeline of the implementation of the various agreements.
“Also we want to tell the government and in particular the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, Bri-Gen Paul Boroh (rtd), that the amnesty and pipeline surveillance contracts cannot stop the bombing of pipelines, but only justice, equity and the agreement reached with PANDEF on the 3rd of August, 2017 can guarantee the safety of the pipelines and other oil infrastructures,” the group added.
NDRC accentuated: “The Niger Delta youth are tired of watching over pipelines, while the proceeds of the oil are used to develop other regions. We equivocally reject the pipeline surveillance and amnesty being proposed by Paul Boroh through the back door.
“We are urging all Niger Deltans to come out en mass to demand for peaceful coexistence, a stop to nepotism in appointments, justice, equity and demand for the immediate implementation of the agreement reached with PANDEF on the 3rd of August, 2017.
“We equally use this opportunity to urge NDA to make a statement because their prolonged silence is seen as tacit support for the blacklegs and traitors in the region.
“Before the ceasefire, oil production was at its lowest of 800barrels per day, but for the quick intervention of PANDEF, it has risen to 2.2million barrels per day and this has helped to boost the revenue of the Federal Government toward getting us out of recession,” the group stated.
It declared: “If all these sacrifices and understanding of all agitators is being taken for cowardice, God forbid, the time would come for zero barrel of oil production until all agreements are rectified, starting from the 1958 Willinks Commission Report on the minority till date.”
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called on Nigerians to reject silence in the face of extrajudicial killings and other abuses of human rights.
Soyinka stressed that accountability and civic courage remain essential to rebuilding public confidence in the nation’s institutions.
He made the call during the 28th Wole Soyinka Lecture held in Port Harcourt, last Friday as part of activities marking his 92nd birthday.
The lecture, themed “Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civic Courage,” drew participants from different sectors of society.
The renowned playwright and human rights advocate said the country’s greatest tragedy was not only the unlawful killings carried out by state and non-state actors, but also the silence that often follows such incidents, allowing perpetrators to evade justice.
According to him, indifference by citizens to abuses of power and violations of fundamental human rights has contributed to the persistence of extrajudicial killings and other forms of injustice across the country.
Soyinka said he dedicated this year’s lecture to victims of unlawful killings, noting that the event was intended to honour individuals who had lost their lives as a result of failures within the justice system and society’s inability to protect the sanctity of human life.
He stressed that the lecture was dedicated to what he described as the basic unit of every society – the human being, and urged Nigerians to place greater value on human dignity irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social status.
The Nobel Laureate recalled several incidents of violence, including the fatal shooting and killing of a young man in Ugheli in Delta State by a police officer, and the mob killing of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State sometime ago, lamenting that many of those responsible are yet to face justice.
He expressed concern that some perpetrators of violent crimes had openly admitted their actions without fear of prosecution, describing such situations as evidence of serious failures within the nation’s justice system.
Soyinka maintained that when justice is delayed or denied, public confidence in state institutions continues to erode, thereby encouraging further violations of human rights.
Responding to critics who accuse him of promoting religious or ethnic divisions whenever he spoke on such issues, Soyinka dismissed the allegations and pointed out that his advocacy has always centred on the protection of human life and the rule of law.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue demanding justice in cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, including the recent shooting of a young man by a police officer, stressing that every life deserves equal protection under the law.
The literary icon also recalled an earlier pledge by a past incoming president to make public the files relating to unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings, questioning the status of the promised investigations.
He challenged citizens to continue asking questions about unresolved cases, insisting that justice, accountability and respect for human dignity are indispensable to building a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Nigerian society.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has clarified that there was no fire at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, contrary to its earlier advisory.
Earlier yesterday, FAAN had announced that a fire incident had occurred at Terminal 2 of the nation’s busiest airport, and assured that its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service had been deployed to contain the situation.
There were also reports that activities were briefly disrupted at the airport yesterday after smoke was seen inside parts of the terminal.
Videos circulating online showed passengers kept standing outside the terminal while firefighters responded to the incident.
However, in an update issued less than two hours later by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, and posted on FAAN’s official X handle, the authority said preliminary findings showed that the smoke seen at the terminal was caused by the discharge of the facility’s FM-200 fire suppression system.
“Further to our earlier advisory regarding the incident at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to provide the following update,” the statement read.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there was no fire at the terminal. The smoke observed within the affected area resulted from the discharge of the terminal’s FM-200 fire suppression system. The reason for the activation of the fire suppression system is currently being investigated,” FAAN stated.
The authority said normal operations had resumed at the terminal while investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.
“Normal operations have since resumed at the terminal, while detailed investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident,” the statement added.
The authority thanked passengers, airlines, airport users and other stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation.
FAAN appreciated the understanding and cooperation of passengers, airlines, airport users and all stakeholders, and reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of all airport operations.