More Militants Groups Dump Clark PANDEF, Name New Leader

Coalition of Niger Delta groups, which recently withdrew its mandate to the Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, led by former Federal Commissioner for Information, Chief Edwin Clark, have announced a new set of leaders under the aegis of Pan Niger Delta Peoples Congress, PNDPC.

The new group is to interface between the militant groups and the Federal Government on behalf of the people of the oil region.

The 13-man PNDPC team, headed by a younger Niger Delta leader, High Chief Mike Loyibo, had former governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva and two prominent monarchs, former National Chairman of the Traditional Rulers of Oil Minerals Producing Communities of Nigeria, TROMPCON, and paramount ruler of Seimbiri Kingdom, His Majesty, Charles Ayemi-Botu and Joshua Igbugburu as members.

Convener and leader of the Reformed Niger Delta Avengers, self-styled Major General Johnmark Ezonbi, aka Obama, who spoke to newsmen after a meeting of the militant groups at Oloibiri announced the membership of the new body.

He said: “Professor Benjamin Okaba , former chairman of Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, Chief Wellington Okrika, Professor Etim Eyong,  Mercy Almona-Isei, AVM Austine Ekon, National President of Host Communities of Nigeria, HOSTCOM,  Bishop Mike Emuh , a renowned oil and gas expert, Reverend OJ Agbarah, Justice Chris Ajama (retd.) and Pastor Victor Egoh are members of the body.’’

The militant groups in the Coalition are the Reformed Niger Delta Avengers, led by Ezonbi; Niger Delta Revolutionary Crusaders Council; Niger Delta Supreme Egbesu Fighters; Niger Delta Red Scorpion Fighters; Niger Delta Youth Mandate for Justice; Niger Delta Liberation Force; Niger Delta Fighters for Resource Control; Niger Delta Fighters for Urhobo Resource Control and Bakassi People Liberation Force.

Speaking to Vanguard, Loyibo said he was not aware of the new group and his selection by militants to lead the region.

He, however, said: “It is a welcome development and I will do my best to effectively represent the region if that is what the boys in the creeks want.”

He commended Chief Clark for the leadership he offered his region, saying that he did his best for Niger Delta even as a nonagenarian.

“I have demonstrated integrity over the years and have been part of the Niger Delta negotiation team with the Federal Government.  We have not relented and we will pursue the new phase with integrity,” he said.

The newspaper reports that His Majesty Ayemi-Botu said, “I am not aware of the development, I am just hearing it from you (Saturday Vanguard)”.

Similarly, Chief Okrika told our reporter at about 7.45 pm on phone: “I am not aware.”