The Chief Edwin Clark-led Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, last night, withdrew its November 1, 2017 ultimatum to back out from talks with the Federal Government, after the group met with Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, at Presidential Villa, Abuja.
This came as Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators, CNDA, yesterday, issued a fresh set of demands to the Federal Government, saying the failure to adopt full devolution of power and fiscal federalism henceforth will amount to a declaration of Niger Delta Republic.
It also insisted that its members were not being represented by PANDEF, in any form of negotiations with the Federal Government.
In a statement by their different heads, the agitators said they will work with similar groups in South-East and South-South to ensure that their objective of securing freedom was achieved.
Those who endorsed the statement were General John Duku of Niger Delta Watchdogs and convener, Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators; General Ekpo Ekpo of Niger Delta Volunteers; General Osarolor Nedam of Niger Delta Warriors and Major-Gen. Henry Okon Etete of Niger Delta Peoples Fighters.
Other were Major-Gen. Asukwo Henshaw of the Bakassi Freedom Fighters; Major-Gen. Ibinabo Horsfall of the Niger Delta Movement for Justice; Major-Gen. Duke Emmanson of Niger Delta Fighters Network; Major-Gen. Inibeghe Adams for Niger Delta Freedom Mandate and Major-Gen. Abiye Tariah of Niger Delta Development Network.
Disband Nigeria into Arewa, Biafra, Oduduwa, N-Delta Republics – Militants
Also, the Reformed Egbesu Fraternity, REF, a coalition of militant groups in the Niger Delta region, yesterday, in Warri, Delta State, advocated the peaceful dissolution of Nigeria into Arewa Islamic Republic, Biafra Republic, Oduduwa Republic, Republic of Niger Delta, RONDEL and the Republic of Middle Belt to be collectively known and addressed as the United Republics of Nigeria.
REF, comprising Egbesu Mightier Fraternity, EMF, Egbesu Red Water Lions, ERL and Egbesu Marine Commandoes, EMC, in a statement by the General Officer Commanding, self-styled “Gen” Tony Alagbakereowei, called on the United Nations, UN, British Prime Minister and President Donald Trump of the United States to conduct a referendum for the quiet disbanding of the Nigerian state.
“We reaffirm our collective resolve to actualise the Republic of Niger Delta, RONDEL, which had been proclaimed in 1966,taken into cognizance the reality that there is nothing yet binding us as a people rather than the crude oil and the gas in the Niger Delta,” the group said.
All contentious issues resolved—Kachikwu
Briefing journalists after the meeting in Abuja, Minister of State for Petroleum, Mr Ibe Kachikwu, said all the contentious issues had been resolved.
According to him, “issues relating to the University at Okerenkeko, the development in Niger Delta generally, the amnesty programme and how well it is working, the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC operations in Niger Delta were addressed.
“It was very exhaustive, we looked at the 16-point agenda how far we have gone. The meeting’s environment was peaceful, calm, friendliness and mutual dialoguing of issues so that they will understand where we are coming from and some of the most pressing concerns they have.
“Obviously, PANDEF as a very responsible organisation always alerts us where there are issues. 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 out of 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 note of them.
“It wasn’t an ultimatum, it was a warning on the need for 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.
Modular refineries
Meanwhile, the Federal Government in a fact-sheet, yesterday, on the meeting with PANDEF in, Abuja, said it had started the process of replacing illegal refineries in the region with modular ones, including options on how to involve the communities as shareholders in the proposed modular refineries, as the ground-breaking of the first set of such refineries are expected in the fourth quarter of the year.
“In its operations, Federal Government will supply crude to the local refineries at reasonably considered price, as an incentive to stop the current practice whereby illegal refiners vandalise and steal the crude. Each Niger Delta State is expected to host two modular refineries each.
Maritime University
“Similarly, Federal Government has commenced the process for the opening of the Maritime University at Okerenkoko in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Delta State. Already, a five-man inter-agency committee headed by Minister of Education is in the final stages for the official opening of the university in the 2017/2018 academic session.”
Also speaking, the leader of PANDEF. Chief Edwin Clark said that the ultimatum has been withdrawn and that the region agreed to work together with government.
He said, “The meeting was excellent. We met with Mr Acting President and the discussion was very honest, truthful, forthright. We are very very satisfied.
“No more ultimatum. We agreed on many things. They cane with their own address, the ministers all spoke, presented their cases and at the end, the Acting President rounded it up. We saw his genuiness, forthrightness, he is a gentleman. We are satisfied.
“We have agreed to work together and the issue of dialogue must to take place.
“The message back home is that we had the opportunity to meet with Mr Acting President we discussed our 16-point agenda and government’s 20-point agenda and we are all satisfied. We all agreed that everyone should maintain peace.”
On why the Niger Delta people not speaking with one voice he said, “We are speaking with one voice.”
On the recent statement by the MEND disassociating themselves from PANDEF, he said “MEND was in the meeting. Jomo gbomo does not exist as a human being, that us a ghost Name, fake name. Other organizations were here.
“I am the leader of the Niger delta and every leader you can think of from cross river to Ondo state were all here today.”
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