MILITANTS: Clark too old to negotiate for Niger Delta
Clark too old to negotiate for Niger Delta:says Militans
The group of
militants tagged PANDEF as an assemblage of elders who are “Idols of
under-development in the Niger Delta”. They insisted that the Clark-led group
cannot talk with the Federal Government on behalf of the region any longer.
They made the
position known in a statement on Saturday released by the leader of RNDA,
‘Major General’ Johnmark Ezonbi, aka Obama, on behalf of the coalition.
According to
the militants, there was urgent need to change leadership of the region
engaging the Federal Government at the negotiation table from “old brigade.”
Only such a change, they argued, will ensure that the struggle for all round
development of the region is successful.
Members of the
coalition are Reformed Niger Delta Avengers; Niger Delta Joint Revolutionary
Crusaders Council; Niger Delta Supreme Egbesu Fighters; Niger Delta Re.com Scorpion Fighters; Niger Delta Youth Mandate for Justice; Niger Delta People’s
Liberation Force; Niger Delta Fighters for Resource Control; Niger Delta for
Urhobo Resource Control; and Bakassi People’s Liberation Force.
The coalition
had recently announced a new set of leaders under the aegis of Pan Niger Delta
Peoples Congress (PNDPC) who it said would replace PANDAE to dialogue with the
Federal Government on behalf of the people of the oil region.
In the
statement on Saturday, the militant groups insisted that the new leaders under
PNDPC, had their mandate to discuss with the Federal Government.
Among the
people in the group the coalition said would negotiate for the region under the
congress included the Paramount Ruler of Seimbiri Kingdom, Pere Ayemi-Botu, who
will serve as the head while Mike Loyibo will act as the coordinator/convener
of the group.
Other leaders,
according to the militants groups, are King Bassey Achiaringa, the paramount
ruler of Ibeno land, Akwa Ibom; King Suanu Baridam, Gbenemene Bua II,
Ogoniland, Rivers State; Olisa Imegwu, Paul Evwierhoma, Prof. Patrick
Mouboghare; Justice Fedode Tabai (retd.), a retired Deputy Inspector of Police,
Mike Zuokumor, Peremobowei Ebebi; Prof. Christopher Dime, among others.
They dubbed
Clark as being too old to continue to lead the negotiation, adding that his
group are made up of leaders who would not want the younger generation to rise.
“Why did they
not form PANDEF when Goodluck Jonathan was the President? They were at the
corridors of power. Contracts and other decisions were taken at their Abuja
houses. We must say that President Muhammadu Buhari has shown commitment to the
Niger Delta as his deputy, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo, has visited the creeks to see
things for himself,” the coalition said.
They described
the suspension of the quit notice to Igbo living in the North by northern
youths as a good move but maintained, that the only reason the Arewa youths
would issue such in the first place was because they did not believe in
Nigeria’s unity.
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