NewStats: 3,262,841 , 8,178,330 topics. Date: Tuesday, 03 June 2025 at 06:57 PM 1712x

…says FCT minister disparaging group after meeting with Tinubu

…group threatens to pull out of peace move

The Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has accused the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, of obstructing peace efforts in Rivers State, despite President Bola Tinubu’s appeal for reconciliation.

The group also expressed deep disappointment over Wike’s public disparagement of PANDEF less than 24 hours after its delegation met with the President at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Friday, the Chairman of PANDEF’s Peace and Reconciliation Committee and former Governor of Cross River State, Obong Victor Attah, lamented that Wike’s refusal to engage with the committee had stalled mediation efforts in the political crisis rocking Rivers State.

“In a determination to prevent a full-blown crisis from developing, we constituted a team of eminent elders from across the South-South region,” Attah said.


“However, despite repeated attempts, we have been unable to secure a meeting with Chief Nyesom Wike, who has continued to rebuff our peace efforts.”


According to Attah, a PANDEF delegation met with President Tinubu on March 11, 2025, to seek his intervention, stressing the importance of Wike’s participation in any meaningful resolution.

“We informed Mr. President of the difficulties we have faced in securing the cooperation of his cabinet minister,” Attah explained.

“It is deeply troubling that Chief Wike has dismissed PANDEF as ‘the worst organization for anyone to rely on’ in a recent media chat, yet the President did not treat us with such disregard when he received us.”


Obong Attah reiterated that successful negotiations require the participation of all involved parties.

“It is not possible to clap with one hand. Negotiation can only take place if both parties in dispute agree to be accessible and available,” he said.

Given Wike’s continued resistance, PANDEF warned that it might be forced to withdraw from mediation efforts altogether.

“If this ime persists, we will have no choice but to disband the Peace and Reconciliation Committee and step back from any further attempts to resolve this crisis,” Attah stated. “However, our fear is that this could have catastrophic consequences.”

Adding to the concerns, PANDEF National Chairman, Ambassador Godknows Igali, criticized Wike’s remarks, noting that the FCT Minister publicly discredited the sociocultural group just a day after their meeting with President Tinubu.


“Our delegation included prominent traditional rulers, former governors, senators, ministers, and retired senior military officers,” Igali stated.

"It is important to note that a visit to the Presidential Villa is strictly by invitation, underscoring the credibility of our mission.”


Igali highlighted the issues PANDEF raised with the President, including the South-South Development Commission Bill, infrastructure deficits, non-functional eastern ports, displaced persons from past crises, environmental cleanup of the Niger Delta, federalism, restructuring, and oil production concerns.

However, he lamented that the media failed to capture the full scope of these discussions.

“Regarding the Rivers State crisis, the President was pleased to see such distinguished individuals working toward peace,” Igali added.


“As a former member of the Nigerian Governors Forum and an experienced leader, he understood the gravity of the situation and encouraged us to continue our efforts.”

Igali also rebuked Wike for his comments on the late PANDEF leader, Chief Edwin Clark, stressing that the former minister deserved respect, especially as he had yet to be buried.

“Chief Nyesom Wike’s public remarks have been deeply disappointing. Less than 24 hours after our meeting with the President, he disparaged PANDEF, calling it the ‘worst organization for anyone to rely on’ and insinuating that our delegation pursued financial gains. This baseless attack on a body comprising revered traditional rulers, former governors, ministers, and senators is unacceptable,” Igali said.

He continued: “Even more appalling is his lack of respect for a recently deceased statesman who contributed immensely to the region’s development – the late Edwin Clark. While we remain committed to peace, we urge Chief Wike to extend due respect to these distinguished Nigerians.”

Igali also made a final appeal to Wike to reconsider his stance.


“We must that conflicts ultimately end at the negotiation table, and maintaining dignity in public service is crucial. We appeal to Chief Wike to actively participate in reconciliation efforts for the greater good of Rivers State,” he said.

Despite the obstacles, PANDEF reaffirmed its commitment to peace and expressed confidence that President Tinubu would uphold his commitment to addressing the concerns raised by the group.

https://tribuneonlineng.com/pandef-accuses-wike-of-blocking-peace-efforts-in-rivers-crisis/

PANDEF are not telling themselves the truth! Fubara must stop being an ingrate and nurture the political structure that brought him to power.

The same PANDEF that were busy abusing and issuing provocative statement against WIKE before the supreme court judgement . PANDEF and FUBARA please just dey your dey na 🤣

Almighty God, Please let my helpers be among people reading this comment. I'm so dry and I need to be rescued, any amount will be appreciated I'm taking basic 3 and salary have not been paid. Currently, I'm working on getting other job.
Your will help me get through this difficult period.Thank you and God bless

Of course, before supreme Court judgement, Fubara was behaving like god, attacking and disrupting everywhere with arrogance, he thinks governorship power makes him equal to God, he should have started implementing peace process with Wike, he thought his 3 house member illegality will stand.

Power is transient. Wike should that those he is fighting for position obtained today might come to hunt him in the future.
Must he fight almost all the political big wigs same as 40% of Abuja residents?
This man needs to trend sensibly

Out of the G7 caucus, only Wike seems not to have sense. You criticise the Enugu government, fight Atiku, Bala Muhammed, make enemies with lots of prominent Abuja residents and also creating crisis in River state.

To me, Wike's career of becoming this country president is gone, PDP didn't make a mistake

yarimo:
The same PANDEF that were busy abusing and issuing provocative statement against WIKE before the supreme court judgement . PANDEF and FUBARA please just dey your dey na 🤣

You are a pathetic liar. stop lying.

zoedew:
PANDEF are not telling themselves the truth! Fubara must stop being an ingrate and nurture the political structure that brought him to power.

Shut up!
Nurture which nonsense structure?
With which money?
Which part of the constitution approves nurturing of political structures with funds meant for development?

Another brain dead uncircumcised agbadorian spotted here. Cursed idiyot.

quote author=yarimo post=134555953]The same PANDEF that were busy abusing and issuing provocative statement against WIKE before the supreme court judgement . PANDEF and FUBARA please just dey your dey na 🤣[/quote]

PANDEF should know the only language Abuja understands. Shutdown the flow stations and in 48 hrs, everything will be over. This is where we miss Edwin Clarke's leadership.

zoedew:
PANDEF are not telling themselves the truth! Fubara must stop being an ingrate and nurture the political structure that brought him to power.

U don't want the progress of River people.

Wike is a drunken man.

Woke needs to be tamed.

Exactly.
More reason why the people of Rivers State must resist that tyrannical monster called Wike.

After getting the Courts and House of Assembly to do his bidding, he traveled to Ijaw land specifically to do what APC is known for. To divide Rivers people with tribalism.

He knows the Ijaws are the most likely to resist any attempt to impeach their Governor so he went to their land to tell them their Governor is not really Ijaw. That is the final card in his game. APC style tribalism.

The same Wike who was bragging how he made Ijaw man Governor two weeks ago in media chat

The same Wike who suspended Ijaw monarchs for meeting with Seriake Dickson during his tenure is now suddenly friends with Ijaw.

I hope the Ijaws and everyone in Rivers State are wise enough not to fall for his antics because they will pay for it decades to come serving Wike and his interests just like Lagosians are currently serving the slave master

Did Tinubu want the crises stop? Two people are fighting, they take the issue to you for settlement. You blamed one person and failed to rebuke the second person.


Wike is appointee of tyrant, only to instruct him, the crises would stop.

Tinubu himself was a gov, we knew how he ruled, unchecked. Wen he held sway.

FCT Minister is pained that his monthly allocation that is supposed to be coming from SIMS for installing him is no longer flowing in. Dude is very sad!

zoedew:
PANDEF are not telling themselves the truth! Fubara must stop being an ingrate and nurture the political structure that brought him to power.

What do you mean by political structure ,do you know that if the politics of God fatherisim is not done away vith, democracy in this country will be nothing but the demonstration of crase let me the world of Fela Anikulapo Kuti.

iampeterben:
FCT Minister is pained that his monthly allocation that is supposed to be coming from SIMS for installing him is no longer flowing in. Dude is very sad!

Very true, Sim stopped his standing order.

PANDEF has become pandemic to Rivers people.

Ndigbo and PANDEF are the two worst regional organisations in Nigeria. They have history of making worst than better.

zoedew:
PANDEF are not telling themselves the truth! Fubara must stop being an ingrate and nurture the political structure that brought him to power.

mumu

This is the point people do not acknowledge due to sentiments. Assuming that the Supreme Court sacked the 27 HOA , i doubt any of the conditional peacemakers will be advocating peace with such tempo.

Where were they when the acclaimed Saint was singing " dey your dey" and making mockery of the other party all around.

PandoraObi:
Of course, before supreme Court judgement, Fubara was behaving like god, attacking and disrupting everywhere with arrogance, he thinks governorship power makes him equal to God, he should have started implementing peace process with Wike, he thought his 3 house member illegality will stand.

zoedew:
PANDEF are not telling themselves the truth! Fubara must stop being an ingrate and nurture the political structure that brought him to power.

Which ingrate? Wike did worse, infact he said no one helped his political career. Wike did not allow any form of Intimidation. He disgraced rotimi amaechi etc.. Wike is not fighting fubara. He's fighting the people of rivers.

zoedew:
PANDEF are not telling themselves the truth! Fubara must stop being an ingrate and nurture the political structure that brought him to power.

Which structure? Structure of criminals and thieves, structure of people that would suppress him, that is not a progressive structure, there's nothing like ingrate there Wike structure is a greedy structure

Really

Agugbadin:


Very true, Sim stopped his standing order.

That's the issue and most idiots here don't see it as retrogressive, how can one man be collecting 15bn every month for doing nothing, Even Tinubu did not collect like that from Lagos State, Tinubu works for his own, but wants the money from source

Akinpresident:


Shut up!
Nurture which nonsense structure?
With which money?
Which part of the constitution approves nurturing of political structures with funds meant for development?

That's why you can never be a governor.

Flexyup:


That's why you can never be a governor.

and with this mindset if yours and with people like you, that's why Nigeria will never be better.

zoedew:
PANDEF are not telling themselves the truth! Fubara must stop being an ingrate and nurture the political structure that brought him to power.

Just negodi the kind of people I share oxygen with

Flexyup:


That's why you can never be a governor.

Even with the opposite mindset, you also cannot be a governor! There's no space for new entrants. The cycle gate has been shut.

Too late, Fubara shouldn't have demolished the assembly building that was a very bad move, now he is going to the homes of the occupants to beg them to sign budget. Disgraceful even for a former senior civil servant.

Okay o