The national leader of the Pan
Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Edwin Clark, and members of the group, have called
for the practice of self-management of resources by the 36 states in Nigeria.
The leaders made the call on
Thursday during a meeting held at the conference centre of the Petroleum
Training Institute, Effurun in Delta State.
An emergency general assembly of
PANDEF was convened after the forum reconciled with a factional group
identified as the Pan Niger Delta Peoples Congress (PANDEC), to work together
as one united forum.
In his address, Clark, who is a
former minister of information, said true federalism where states have the
right to fiscal autonomy and control, as well as self-management of resources
must be the order of the day in the region.
“We will continue to demand that
the country practices true federalism – where states have the right to manage
their God-given resources and develop them in accordance with the capacities
and capabilities inherent in each state,” he said.
Leaders at the meeting also
discussed matters relating to the security situation and the urgent need to
sustain peace and development in the Niger Delta region.
They also advised youths in the
region to remain law-abiding, even in the face of provocation while they
thanked Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State for accepting to host the next
meeting of the assembly at a date yet to be decided.
Meanwhile, the coordinating
secretary of the forum, Alfred Mulade, officially announced the commencement of
academic activities at the Maritime University, Okerenkoko, advertising vacant
positions for interested Nigerians.
Earlier, the convener of the factional
PANDEC, Mike Loyibo, blamed the conflict between his side and PANDEF on a
communication gap.
“Both groups have decided to iron
out their differences and the only way to move the region forward is to work
under the leadership of E.K. Clark”, he said.
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