PANDEF Inaugurates Igali As National Chairman

Former Federal Permanent Secretary, Dr. Godknows Igali from Bayelsa State has emerged the new National Chairman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF).
Igali and other members of the national executive committee of the apex Niger Delta socio-cultural organisation were nominated and inaugurated on Thursday at the Special General Assembly of the organisation in Port Harcourt.
The forum also set up a committee headed by former Akwa Ibom State Governor, Obong Victor Attah to reconcile political conflicts in the Niger Delta.
The new national leadership of PANDEF took over from the one led by Senator Emmanuel Ibok Essien, which was inaugurated in 2018. But the inauguration of a new National Secretary from Rivers State was suspended for further consultation.

Thursday’s special general assembly and inauguration were witnessed by prominent leaders of the Niger Delta like the first military governor of old Rivers State, King Alfred Diette-Spiff, former Rivers State Governor, Chief Rufus Ada-George, former Akwa Ibom State Governor, Obong Victor Attah and several former senators, ministers and top military officers.
National leader of the Niger Delta, Chief Edwin Clark sent a virtual keynote address in which he urged the people of the Niger Delta to be resilient and not allow themselves to be intimidated political power wielders.
The governor of Rivers State represented by Prof. Peter Medee, a Commissioner in the state, urged the forum to support the strengthening of institutions against the building of strong individuals, which he said has caused political conflicts and negated development in the region.
The Minster of State (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, who delivered a goodwill message, urged the people of the Niger Delta and leaders of the region to support the peaceful exploitation of oil in the region so that more money could be made to develop sectors that the country can use as alternative to fossil fuel.

On the replacement of the Ministry of Niger Delta with the ministry of regional development, Lokpobiri said the people should find solace in the fact that the new expanded ministry and the misters of state for oil and gas are headed by people from Niger Delta.

The general assembly also considered the report of the last national executive committee and adopted a communique read by Prof Gordini Darah. In the communique, the assembly called for unity and solidarity among the people of the Niger Delta, for the building of railway Ines to link the states of the region, and the development of the water resources of the region.
It also called on state governments to invest in industrialisation, education and agriculture.

Story by Treasure Chisa Achor