COALITION of Niger Delta militant groups, which
recently withdrew its mandate to the Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, led by
former Federal Commissioner for Information, Chief Edwin Clark, yesterday,
announced a new set of leaders under the aegis of Pan Niger Delta Peoples
Congress, PNDPC, to dialogue with the Federal Government on behalf of the
people of the oil region.
The 13-man PNDPC
team, headed by a younger Niger Delta
leader, High Chief Mike Loyibo, had former governor of Bayelsa State, Chief
Timipre Sylva and two prominent monarchs, former National Chairman of the
Traditional Rulers of Oil Minerals Producing Communities of Nigeria, TROMPCON,
and paramount ruler of Seimbiri Kingdom, His Majesty, Charles Ayemi-Botu
and Joshua Igbugburu form as members.
Convener and leader of the Reformed Niger Delta
Avengers, self-styled Major General Johnmark Ezonbi, aka Obama, who spoke to
newsmen after a meeting of the militant groups at Oloibiri announced the
membership of the new body.
He said: “Professor Benjamin Okaba , former
chairman of Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC,
Chief Wellington Okrika, Professor Etim Eyong,
Mercy Almona-Isei, AVM Austine Ekon, National President of Host
Communities of Nigeria, HOSTCOM, Bishop
Mike Emuh , a renowned oil and gas expert, Reverend OJ Agbarah, Justice Chris
Ajama (retd.) and Pastor Victor Egoh are members of the body.’’
The militant groups in the Coalition are the
Reformed Niger Delta Avengers, led by Ezonbi; Niger Delta Revolutionary
Crusaders Council; Niger Delta Supreme Egbesu Fighters; Niger Delta Red
Scorpion Fighters; Niger Delta Youth Mandate for Justice; Niger Delta
Liberation Force; Niger Delta Fighters for Resource Control; Niger Delta
Fighters for Urhobo Resource Control and Bakassi People Liberation Force.
Speaking to Saturday Vanguard, yesterday, Loyibo said he was not aware of the
new group and his selection by militants to lead the region.
He, however, said: “It is a welcome development and
I will do my best to effectively represent the region if that is what the boys
in the creeks want.”
He commended Chief Clark for the leadership he
offered his region, saying that he did his best for Niger Delta even as a
nonagenarian.
“I have demonstrated integrity over the years and
have been part of the Niger Delta negotiation team with the Federal
Government. We have not relented and we
will pursue the new phase with integrity,” he said.
Contacted, His Majesty Ayemi-Botu asserted: “I am
not aware of the development; I am just hearing it from you (Saturday
Vanguard)”. Similarly, Chief Okrika told our reporter at about 7.45 pm on
phone: “I am not aware.”
The militants, who called on the Federal Government
to immediately halt the payment of 13 per cent derivation to governors of the
Niger Delta states, advocated the immediate sack and removal of four serving
ministers and officials of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.
Ezonbi said:
“The Federal Government should dialogue with persons with credibility
and genuine heart for the development of the region, as persons with the toga
of corruption should not be allowed to discuss with the federal government
under any guise.”
He also urged the government “to enter into talks
and negotiations with PNDPC. They have the mandate of the various militant
groups in the creeks. Failure to do so will secure their wrath and resumption
of fresh attacks on oil facilities to bring down the nation’s oil sector to
ground zero.
“The Federal
Government should stop forthwith the payment of 13 percent oil derivation to
state governors of the Niger Delta, but rather pay it directly to HOSTCOM in
line with the 1999 Constitution as amended in Section 162, Sub Section 2.
“We say it is an illegal act for the federal
government to release this fund to the state governors. Henceforth, 13 percent
derivation fund should be released to HOSTCOM directly in the interest of peace
and development of the region.
“The oil pipeline surveillance security contract
should also be directly given to HOSTCOM, which will, in turn, provide job
opportunities for the teeming youths as well as safe guard oil pipelines and
facilities.
“We demand the immediate release of licenses for 10
modular refineries and gas flare penalty funds to the oil producing communities
in the Niger Delta region through HOSTCOM,
“The Coalition urges the Acting President Prof.
Yemi Osibanjo, who is the head of the government peace and fact-finding
committee to the region to address the issues we raised or face fresh attacks
on oil installations by us.”
News Source: - Vanguard | August 19,
2017.
Photo Source: - Punch | June 16, 2017.
No comments:
Post a Comment