But a coalition of militants in the region seem to have passed a vote of no confidence on Clark and PANDEF, as they have dropped the group and announced a new set of leaders they said are to now represent them in any talks with the federal government.
Clark and his group had only recently berated the federal government of insincerity in the talks, and threatened to pull out if nothing was done to its 16 point agenda after November 1.
But in apparent response, the Yemi Osinbajo-led presidency had quickly agreed to a meeting to address perceived agitations.
The latest development comes amid a recent split in the ranks of Niger Delta agitators with a popular militant group, Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) sharply disagreeing and walking out or the PANDEF arrangement.
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In the new split, the coalition withdrew its mandate to the PANDEF, and announced a new set of leaders under the aegis of Pan Niger Delta Peoples Congress, PNDPC, to dialogue with the Federal Government on behalf of the people of the oil region.
Speaking to newsmen in Oloibiri, Bayelsa State on Friday, after a meeting of the militant group’s, leader of the Reformed Niger Delta Avengers, Major General Johnmark Ezonbi, aka Obama, said High Chief Mike Loyibo, had been picked to head the new PNDPC.
Other members of the new body are, former governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva and two 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.
According to him, “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.’’
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.
The militant group’s also called on the Federal Government to halt payment of the 13 per cent derivation to governors of the Niger Delta states, even as they urged for the immediate sack and removal of four serving ministers and officials of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
“The Federal Government should stop forthwith the payment of 13 percent oil derivation to state governors of the Niger Delta, but rather pay it directly to HOSTCOM in line with the 1999 Constitution as amended in Section 162, Sub Section 2.
“We say it is an illegal act for the federal government to release this fund to the state governors. Henceforth, 13 percent derivation fund should be released to HOSTCOM directly in the interest of peace and development of the region.
“The oil pipeline surveillance security contract should also be directly given to HOSTCOM, which will, in turn, provide job opportunities for the teeming youths as well as safe guard oil pipelines and facilities”.
Ezonbi said: “The Federal Government should dialogue with persons with credibility and genuine heart for the development of the region, as persons with the toga of corruption should not be allowed to discuss with the federal government under any guise.”
He also threatened that if government failed to enter into talks with the PNDPC, it would incur the wrath of the militant group’s in the creek, leading to “resumption of fresh attacks on oil facilities to bring down the nation’s oil sector to ground zero”.
The Coalition urges the Acting President Prof. Yemi Osibanjo, who is the head of the government peace and fact-finding committee to the region to address the issues we raised or face fresh attacks on oil installations by us”, he said.