PANDEF Blackmailing FG For Relevance – SSRG

South South Reawakening Group (SSRG) has chided the Chief Edwin Clark led Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) of blackmailing the Federal Government while at the same time embracing the corruption of the governors of the Niger Delta states.

Affirming that charity must start from home, the group in a statement obtained by GreenWhiteGreen lamented the failure of PANDEF leaders to bring governors of the region to account saying that the same leaders of PANDEF have over time made it a business to use the issues of the Niger Delta to project their relevance for their personal benefit.

The convener of the SSRG, Comrade Joseph Ambakederimo who signed the communiqué said:
 “PANDEF is blackmailing the President and by extension they are blackmailing the rest of Nigeria. The President has spoken our minds in the SSRG, when he said the leaders of PANDEF are not trustworthy and we believe this is largely due to the antecedents of some of them and the pettiness that characterized the demands put forward by leaders of PANDEF during the meeting with the President.

“The demands certainly are not the aspirations of the people of the Niger Delta. If for anything the people in PANDEF have lost touch with reality on ground in the region”, it added.

“What we want in the region right now is fresh minds, fresh thinking, new approach and thinking out of the box. For instance you cannot ask an investor to put his or her money in a troubled and volatile environment no matter the level of persuasion.

“First we need to stop the incessant kidnapping, destruction of oil and gas facilities these must stop, and we move to sustain peace and renewed confidence. These are the only conditions on which any investor can have a rethink to relocate to the region once again full time, anything short of the stated conditions  above would be like pouring water on the back of a duck”, the group said.

Observing that PANDEF constituted of elders “who have outlived their usefulness therefore they have nothing to offer the people of the region and what they do now is using the issues of the region to blackmail government and live off it. 

“These same persons have made negotiating and dialoguing with every successive government their pass time after giving covert support to the destruction of oil and gas facilities in order to drag government to the negotiating table. The federal government should not give in to such brigandage of a few “adult” delinquencies.

“The question that keeps agitating our minds is that if the so-called PANDEF are serious and genuinely concerned about the region why have they not taken on any of the Governors of the region on issues of probity and accountability.

“The Governors receive FAAC allocation every month and 13% derivation of oil money yet nothing tangible has come out of the states. Charity they say must begin from home, therefore, it is our opinion and believe that we must hold everyone who has put him or herself forward to serve the people accountable for their stewardship, anyone who does not want to submit him or herself for scrutiny should give way for those who are ready to serve the people”, it added.

Send Us A Press Statement Advertise With Us Contact Us

 And For More Nigerian News Visit GWG.NG