• Urges FG to sustain dialogue

Oghenevwede Ohwovoiole in Abuja

A critical stakeholder in the Ijaw nation and leader of the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief E.K. Clark has warned that Niger Delta militias might return to the creeks and resume hostilities if the federal government holds out too long on the issue of dialogue with the agitators.

He stated this in his country home, Kiagbodo in Delta State this week while receiving the newly sworn-in executives of Izon-Ebe Oil and Gas Producing Communities Association (IOGPCA) – an association of oil and gas contractors of Ijaw extraction that cut across the entire oil-rich region.

According to Clark, “It is getting late for President Muhammadu Buhari and the federal government on the issue of dialogue with the aggrieved Niger Delta agitators who have stopped the bombing of pipelines and other oil facilities.

“If the dialogue fails to commence as soon as possible, the boys may feel betrayed and go back to the creeks and resume hostilities.

“I saw the president’s media man (Femi Adesina) claiming that we are not one and not united, and that the federal government was still looking for people to negotiate with.

“That was a great insult to us. I was in government before he was born. On July 30, 2016, I summoned a meeting of all Ijaw leaders and traditional rulers to my house in Warri and the Deputy Governor of Delta State was in attendance.

“After that first meeting, I decided to call for another one with paid adverts in national dailies, since it was not only the Ijaws that have oil and gas.”

The Ijaw leader added that at that meeting, which was held at the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) Effurun, with over 500 delegates in attendance, the Ijaw leaders advised the agitators to lay down their arms and stop the destruction and vandalism of oil and gas facilities.

Clark added that after the meeting, the “boys in the creeks” quickly responded and mandated him to negotiate on their behalf, stating that on November 1, 2016, he led a delegation comprising traditional rulers, leaders, women and youth leaders from the Niger Delta to the Presidential Villa, Abuja, where they presented to the federal government a 16-point demand for dialogue and negotiations.

“Yet, this government is saying that it does not know whom to negotiate with. We are ready to negotiate, the earlier the better. Therefore we are using this opportunity of you coming to see me, to tell the federal government that it’s getting too late. We are Nigerians and we are nationalists,” the Ijaw leader warned.

The elder statesman also highlighted some of the educational benefits for the Ijaws under the amnesty programme, adding that of those who graduated from universities in 2015, four of them made first class, 26 made second class upper in Benson Idahosa University, Benin City in 2016, while 187 passed with second class upper and lower divisions.

He advised the association to maintain peace in expressing their grievances and should not let their enemies to divide them.

“Let us come together and fight our cause as one. I am happy that you realised that for us to achieve our aim we must come together and fight our common enemy,” Clark added.

On the issue of the Maritime University in Okerenkoko, Delta State, he also warned against the scrapping of the university, adding, “I do not see any reason why people are opposed to the Maritime University in Okerenkoko as this was something that was recommended as far back as 1998.”

He congratulated the association’s president, Hon. James Edoukumo and his executive members for their victory in their elections, and urged them to always respect their traditional rulers, elders and leaders.

Chief Clark, who said he will be 90 this year, said for the government to take the oil and gas from the Niger Delta, it should be ready to develop the region.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2017/01/05/ndelta-militants-might-return-to-creeks-clark-warns-buhari/

With the way things are going, one wonders what the fvck is wrong with Nigeria as a nation

Hw he wan tak hear u wey he ear dey pain am

100% Restructuring

They can do as they so please?? Meanwhile I sense a warning in what Clark is saying.

This man ehn

The farmland no be even good and now rain want fall inside..............any how APC led government want handle Nigeria make them do.............am just tired of their lackadaisical attitude

clark is an old man, we need a vibrant young leader in Niger delta not the one that plays around with militant to fill his old pocket

This government isn't a serious one, they keep acting like they care but they really don't give a Bleep. I bet y'all want to use low oil output as excuse for your incompetence this year again

They should do so quickly. Bomb some pipelines so the Land Grabberss can have something to celebrate.

Atiku2019:
100% Restructuring

hmmm, kwantinu your well paid job.

Clark is one of the problems of Niger Delta.

This proves that true true buhari is delusional and not in touch withreality

Where them dy before? na Banana Island dem dy before?

mtchew

Season 2 bombing loading.........


i see comments here, I laugh. By the time they start the season 2 bombing, the people from the other side will complain more than the bereaved.

best

Atiku2019:
100% Restructuring

Seriously, what do you mean by restructuring?

No, I am serious......

Don't get me wrong...I am all for Niger Delta getting up to 50% of the revenue from oil, and I can appreciate the fact that restructuring might increase productivity overall....but then, who benefits?

For me, the way I see this restructuring, it is so that certain regions can get more money to build more white elephant projects, and refuse to actually support things that would actually generate development. And does restructuring mean that only the oil producing parts of the Niger Delta would benefit? Or the cotton producing parts of the North would benefit?

And since when did the basis of economic development become how money is shared? Why can't we focus on how money is USED? And why should we be relying on oil, whose price is high today, rock bottom tomorrow? Or for that matter any other raw material? Like that nickel they found in Kaduna the other day?

High time we Nigerians stopped seeing development in terms of how much we get every day. It is time we saw it in terms of using what we have to make our society better (And I do not mean more nice buildings and roads!)

Nonsense announcement

all these matter nor concern me again. me Don tire for this country.
make I manage exercise patience collect my bsc for Uniben so I embark on Italy journey through Libya and that terrible desert. the son of man better die for Sahara desert or Mediterranean sea as a brave son than to die in Nigeria as a coward.
imagine nutri milk when them dey sell 120. come enter 150 last three weeks. I come say make I manage buy one yesterday only for the seller to tell me say Na 170 now.
our money dey lose value everyday. them bros militant dey threaten us join and bros Shekau also dey one side.
Nigeria is a mistake. nobody go tell me make I nor enter libya

This government should act fast because if this guys return back to the Creeks which will continue to affect our economy.

Mr Clark, all due respect sir, what have you done for the creeks? You are called a major stakeholder and yet we hear nothing as regards what you have done for the creeks. However, with the best of intentions you might claim to have for the creeks, your tone of comment sounds insensitive and more like a fayose seeking political attention..

and like someone commented, if the militants feel going back to their activities is what is best for the nation and the development of their land.... ISSORAITE, CONTINUEEEE, GOD IS WATCHING ALL OF US

Did the ND militants ever leave the creeks?

NONSENSE

Let them. The rest of us are thinking about returning to our farmlands by March/April.

Only in Nigeria.

OKAY sir