Elders threaten to abandon talks with FG

chika ebuzor

August 1, 2017 8:25 AM

The elders, under the aegis of Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), asked the government to implement their 16-point agenda.

Edwin Clark, the leader of Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF)

A group of Niger Delta elders have threatened to pull out of peace talks with the Federal Government.

This is following a threat by some militants in the oil rich region to resume attacks on crude-oil pipelines.

Speaking further, the leader of the group, Chief Edwin Clark said “I wish to urge the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, implement the pronouncements made by the acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, during his fact-finding visits to the Niger Delta region, and to set up, without delay, the Federal Government Dialogue Team to engage PANDEF, towards resolving the pending issues contained in the forum’s 16-point demand on behalf of the people of the Niger Delta region, by or before November 1, 2017 (one year anniversary of our meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari).

“Human endurance has a limit beyond which one cannot predict what the outcome will be. We submitted a 16-point demand to Mr. President on November 1, 2016, and we had expected that by its next anniversary, the 16-point agenda would have been comprehensively sorted out.

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“If, at the expiration of the November 1, 2017 ultimatum, the Federal Government fails and/or refuses to accede to these lawful and legitimate demands of the Niger Delta people, PANDEF may consider pulling out of the ongoing peace process in the Niger Delta.”

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo had earlier embarked on a series of negotiations with stakeholders in oil producing states.

chika ebuzor