Osinbajo, PANDEF leaders brain storm on peaceful solution to N’delta crisis

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday night met with leaders of Niger Delta under the aegis of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) at the State House, Abuja.
The meeting came at the heels of the November ultimatum given to the Federal Government to open dialogue with the group on its 16-point demand or it would withdraw from negotiations.
National Leader/Convener of PANDEF, Chief Edwin Clark, had told a news conference last Monday that though Osinbajo had given a firm commitment after his visit to the region, government had failed to take steps towards their implementation, thereby putting Niger Delta leaders under pressure from their people.
The Presidency had last week maintained that government would flag-off the first set of Modular Refineries in Delta region, this month as well as begin the clean up of Ogoniland, two components contained in the demands by PANDEF.
Among those at the meeting were Amayanabo of Brass, Alfred Diete-Spiff; Victor Attah, Don Etiebet, Timi Alaibe, Senator Bassey Ewa-Henshaw, Tony Uranta, Hosa Ogunbor and Godknows Igali.

pandef and osibanjo

Speaking with journalists after the meeting, Ibe Kachikwu in charge of petroleum ministry said, “Several issues were discussed issues relating to University at Okerenkeko, issues related to development in Niger Delta generally, issues related to the amnesty program and how well it is working, issues related to NDDC operations in Niger Delta.
“It was very exhaustive, we looked at the 16 point agenda how far we have gone.
“Today was environment of peace, calm friendliness and mutual dialoguing of issues so that they will understand where we are coming from and some of the most pressing concerns that they have.
“Obviously PANDEF as a very responsible organisation always alerts us where there is an alarm bell that is going on. I think I see the ultimatum more in terms of alarm bell.
“Small urgency that is required to do certain things. It is not an alarm in the sense of we are going to pull off the top relationship.
“They did in fact placed their loyalty and their willingness to work with us to find solutions to the problems and the Acting President took notes of them.
“It wasn’t an ultimatum it was a warning for the needs of urgency. The alarm is that we need to hurry up with a lot of problems, people are frustrated, people are tired. People want to see positive action in all the problems.
“They probably think that we are not fast as we should be.” The NDF had issued an ultimatum asking Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to meet its 60-point demand by November 1.”