PAN-Niger Delta Forum,
PANDEF, weekend, knocked the
National Assembly over the
newly passed Petroleum
Industry Bill, PIB, saying it did
not meet the yearnings of the
Niger-Delta people.

The regional group also warned
that conflicts may continue in
the oil-rich region if host
communities were denied their
legitimate rights.

PANDEF, at an extraordinary
meeting in Abuja, restated its
stand on restructuring and
cautioned the Federal
Government over the
abandonment of its 16-point
agenda presented to President
Muhammadu Buhari, November
1, 2016, in view of recent threats
by militants to resume fresh
hostilities in the region over
unfulfilled promises by
government.

It frowned at the continuous use
of interim management to run
the Niger-Delta Development
Commission, NDDC.

The group asked the Federal
Government to call security
agents to order concerning the
midnight invasion of the
residence of Yoruba rights
activist, Sunday Adeyemo, also
known as Sunday Igboho, and
tell Nigerians the home truth on
the repatriation of the leader of
Indigenous People of Biafra,
IPoB, Nnamdi Kanu.

National Leader of PANDEF,
Senator Edwin Kiagbodo Clark;
National Chairman, Senator
Emmanuel Ibok- Essien; Deputy
National Chairman, Chief Hon. T.
K. Okorotie; former Minister of
Housing, Lands and Urban
Development, Rt. Hon. Nduese
Essien; former Chairman, NDDC,
Senator Bassey Ewa Henshaw;
and former Secretary to the
Government of Rivers State,
Senator Inatimi Rufus-Spiff,
attended the meeting.

Others in attendance were
PANDEF National Woman
Leader, Chief (Mrs.) Betty
Igbeyi; former Resident Electoral
Commissioner, Edo State, Dr.
Mrs. Rose Obuoforibo; former
member, House of
Representatives, Chief Mrs.

Olivia Agbajoh; former
Commissioner, DESOPADEC,
Chief Ominimini Obiuwevwi and
former National Secretary,
Traditional Rulers of Oil
Producing Communities of
Nigeria, TROMPCON, Prince
Maikpbo Okareme.

The group’s resolutions,
contained in a communique by
Clark and Ibok-Essien, read in
part: “That the PIB falls short of
the expectations of the Niger
Delta people, who bear the brunt
of the consequences of the oil
and gas industry operations in
their lands.

“PANDEF recalls and reiterates
that host communities of the
Niger Delta region had
demanded 10 per cent equity
participation, as against the
percentages just passed by the
National Assembly.

“And maintains its long-held
logical demand that, unless
stakeholders of the oil and gas
host communities are given
sufficient rights in the
management and operation of
the industry, conflicts in the oil-
rich region may persist.

“Cautions the Federal
Government of Nigeria over the
now likely deleterious
consequences of ignoring, or
treating with contempt, the 16-
Point Agenda presented to
President Muhammadu Buhari,
on 1st November 2016.

“Currently, the Youth in the
Niger Delta have declared a ‘vote
of no confidence’ on PANDEF
because it was the leaders of the
region that stayed their hand
when, in frustration, they had
decided to cripple the national
economy in 2016.

“Condemns the brutal and
bloody midnight raid on the
residence of a Yoruba rights
activist, Sunday Adeyemo, also
known as Sunday Igboho, in the
Soka area of Ibadan, Oyo State,
by agents of the Department of
State Services, DSS, in a Gestapo
manner, during which innocent
citizens were killed and
properties destroyed.

“Stands in solidarity with
Afenifere, and the South-West
people, on this matter and calls
on Mr. President to immediately
call to order the security
agencies and cease all forms of
flagrant abuse of power.

“Requests the Federal
Government to tell Nigerians the
truth of the process which led to
the abduction of the IPOB leader,
Nnamdi Kanu, and his
clandestine, forceful repatriation
to Nigeria, and hopes that he
will be given a fair and open
trial.

“Cautions that the reported
identification of sponsors of
Nnamdi Kanu should not be an
alibi to witch-hunt and persecute
phantom enemies imagined by
the government.

“Stands, firmly, in solidarity
with the people of the Middle
Belt, in the face of brutal
physical attacks and seeming
plans to destroy their every
means of livelihood, by
suspected Fulani gunmen.”

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/07/pandef-rejects-passed-pib-says-it-doesnt-meet-expectations-insists-on-restructuring/

Why you come paste the article like poem, but if the bill is not all encompassing, then its just a matter of time before another agitation shoots off in the South South.

Sunnybay7:
Why you come paste the article like poem, but if the bill is not all encompassing, then its just a matter of time before another agitation shoots off in the South South.

As in ehhh, me sef follow wonder which kind poem e post oo... Anyways, the force that'll come out of South South gonna be tougher than expected sha.

Fix the niger delta