Niger Delta Security Watch Organization of Nigerian, NDSWON, Ijaw Peoples Development Initiative, IPDI, and Foundation for Human Rights and Anti-Corruption Crusade, FHRACC, yesterday, said the claim by the Presidency that the Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, an umbrella group of traditional rulers, leaders and stakeholders of the coastal states of Niger Delta, had no power over of militants in the region was fallacious.

The three groups in a joint statement by their leaders, Dickson Bekederemo, Austin Ozobo and Alaowei Cleric respectively, said if the forum led by former Federal Commissioner for Information and South-South leader, Chief Edwin Clark, former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Obong Victor Attah and former military governor of old Rivers State, HRM King Alfred Diete-Spiff, had no control over militants, they would not have listened to their pleas to cease hostilities.

According to the statement: “To say that the elders and traditional rulers are not in control when pipelines are being blown off is not true. The corresponding attacks on oil facilities by the militants while dialogue was taking place was as a result of the failure of the Federal Government to stop repairs of damaged pipelines pending resolution of the issues that triggered off the agitation. This is a clear demonstration of hypocrisy. The militants would not have given PANDEF the authority to negotiate with the Federal Government and act on their behalf if they did not recognize the influence of their fathers over them.

“The Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, Adaka Boro Avengers, Reformed Egbesu Fraternities, Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, Niger Delta Revolutionary Crusaders, NDRC and other militant groups sheathed their swords based on the intervention of the leaders of the Niger Delta and gave them power of attorney to represent them. So, how can the Presidency say that it is searching for the true Niger Delta leaders? Who are the leaders they are looking for that are not in PANDEF?”

“We were shocked by a statement credited to Mr. President that the Presidency has allegedly discarded the Pan Niger Delta Leaders Forum and has commenced a fresh search for Niger Delta leaders with control over the militants. We view this statement as a calculated attempt by the President to unjustifiably claim that he is ready to dialogue with the Niger Delta people, while in the real sense, he is evading every avenue for dialogue. We hope that Mr. President should not use this as an excuse to militarize the region.

“It is common knowledge that when the President called for dialogue, the Niger Delta armed agitators authorized elders and traditional rulers to dialogue on behalf of the region. It was also the position of the agitators that while the dialogue process was ongoing, no repairs should be made on damaged pipelines until the contending issues were resolved. Common sense, demands that, where there is a disagreement between actual owner of a property and a constitutional trespasser relating to the usage of his property, and the actual owner insists on stoppage of the use of the property pending resolution of the issue of ownership; a reasonable and sensible constitutional trespasser ought to stop until the issues are addressed. The owners of the oil have said stop production until we agree on terms on how to live together as one. It is incumbent on Mr. President to adhere to this directive.”

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/12/n-delta-groups-fault-presidency-stand-dialogue/

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