ASABA— PAN-Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, the umbrella group of traditional rulers, leaders and stakeholders of the coastal states of the Niger Delta, yesterday, advised President Muhammadu Buhari to desist from giving the impression that the people of the region were not prepared for dialogue with the Federal Government, when he knew that it was misleading.
Pointing out that Niger Delta militants gave their mandate to PANDEF to dialogue and speak on their behalf, a position that the group made known to President Buhari, he said that South-South leaders, who met with Buhari on November 1 in Abuja, expected Buhari since then to announce the Federal Government’s negotiation team, but he had not reverted to the forum since then.
The National Coordinator/convener of Niger Delta People’s Congress, NDPC, Chief Mike Loyibo, who toed Attah’s line, said the militants were ready for dialogue and had long given South-South leaders under the auspices of PANDEF the authorization to negotiate on their behalf, as he called on the president to do the needful and stop creating a different impression.
Meanwhile, three Niger Delta civil society groups, Niger Delta Security Watch Organisation of Nigeria, NDSWON, Ijaw Peoples Development Initiative, IPDI, and Foundation for Human Rights and Anti-Corruption Crusade, FHRACC, in a statement by their leaders, Dickson Bekederemo, Austin Ozobo and Alaowei Cleric, yesterday, lambasted President Buhari for allegedly pretending as if he was ignorant of the fact that militants had since ceased hostilities and were waiting for him to commence dialogue.
President Buhari had, while receiving some residents of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, led by the Minister of FCT, Mallam Mohammed Bello, who paid him Christmas homage at the Presidential Villa, said: “For our friends in the Niger Delta area, we will persuade them that they should please sit down with us and agree to manage our resources, rather than think of fighting it out.”
Speaking to Vanguard on phone, Attah said: “It sounds like Mr. President is trying to lay blame where there is no blame. Sincerely, we have passed the stage of whether Niger Delta militants are ready for dialogue, they have indicated their willingness for dialogue by ceasing hostilities and given mandate to PANDEF to dialogue for them.
“PANDEF articulated their position, which was conveyed to President Buhari on November 1 in Abuja and we told him to announce the government’s negotiation team for the dialogue. We made it clear that we are acting for the militants and other stakeholders in the region, who have briefed us on their demands. These demands had already been handed over to Mr. President.
“So, we do not expect him to be talking as if he is not aware that the militants are ready for dialogue. What we expect of him is to announce government’s negotiation team for talks to commence. I do not know how correct this is, but we are hearing that he said that he wants to discuss with the militants themselves.”
On his part, NDPC coordinator, Chief Loyibo said: “I disagree with the President’s statement because from all the fac
by ROTMANLUV 2023-07-08, 17:34
