Niger Delta leaders urge Clark, others to unite for development

Foremost Ijaw leader and elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark and His Majesty, Pere Charles Ayemi-Botu, Paramount Ruler of Seimbiri Kingdom in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State, have been urged to unite so that the Ijaw nation can move forward.

Comrade Henry Agediga, former leader in Ogulagha community, gave the admonition in Warri, on Monday over the current division over who or which group should speak for the Ijaw nation.

The Nigerian Tribune reports that Pere Charles Ayemi-Botu had severed from the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) convened by Pa Clark to interface between militants and the Federal Government at the heat of attacks on oil and gas facilities in 2016.

HRM Ayemi-Botu had, with other disgruntled stakeholders, early in 2017 gone ahead to birth the Pan-Niger Delta People Congress (PNDPC), claiming that militants in the region had withdrawn their legitimacy of representation from PANDEF and handed over same to PNDPC.

The discord, which has slowed down progress so far made by PANDEF, was believed to have led to the disruption of a general meeting of members of PANDEF in Port Harcourt recently.

Comrade Agediga, who bemoaned the situation as pathetic and causing some setbacks to the region, advised HRM Ayemi-Botu to join forces with Clark to finish what he had started.

“It’s a known fact that our national leader, Chief Clark, has been fighting for the good of the Ijaw people over the years.

“In all these years, nobody has come out openly to challenge him over any wrong-doing. If there is anybody who feels otherwise, he or she should pitch their tent with him.

Meanwhile, spokesperson for the Gbaramatu Traditional Council of Chiefs, Chief Godspower Gbenekama, has enjoined the Federal Government to discountenance the claims of other groups springing up in the region but rather focus on meeting the harmonious demands presented by PANDEF.

He opined that the splinter group from PANDEF notwithstanding, all of them are unanimous in their demands, which among others, include resource control, true federalism, relocation of headquarters of oil multinationals to the Niger Delta region, commencement of work at the Export Processing Zone at Ogidigben, Ogoni clean-up.

Gbenekama warned he FG not to hide behind the splinter group to renege on its commitment to developing the Niger Delta region as contained in the PANDEF 16-point agenda once and for all.