The Niger Delta People’s Congress on Wednesday faulted the November 1 ultimatum given by the Chief Edwin Clark-led Pan Niger Delta Forum to the Federal Government to implement its 16-point agenda, describing the decision as “highly selfish and unpatriotic.”
The group’s Convener, Chief Mike Loyibo, stated this in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja.
Clark had at a press conference on Monday threatened that PANDEF would withdraw from the peace negotiation the government is having on how to bring lasting peace to the oil-rich region if the forum’s demands were not met before November 1.
But Loyibo said the threat was uncalled for considering the right steps taken so far by the Federal Government towards a permanent solution to the crisis that had bedevilled the region.
He described PANDEF as just one of the many groups in the region, saying the forum’s decision cannot be binding on everybody.
He said, “It is highly selfish and unpatriotic for the Chief E. K. Clark-led PANDEF to give the Federal Government an ultimatum considering the right steps taken so far by the government towards a permanent solution to the age-long crisis that had bedeviled the Niger Delta region.
“We are aware that the government constituted a high-powered committee chaired by the Acting President who has demonstrated so much passion and commitment towards the region.
“PANDEF is just one of the many groups in the region and its decision cannot be
binding on everybody.
“There is no need for the Federal Government to negotiate with any group, rather, the Presidency should go back to the people in the host communities just the same way that the Acting President went round initially to seek their buy-in. After all, it was not PANDEF that secured peace in the region.
“They have consulted widely and a road map has already been fashioned out. The Federal Government should not allow any group to slow her down rather, immediate action should be taken to tackle already identified issues.”
PUNCH
