HRM, Charles Ayemi-Botu, Pere of Seimbiri Kingdom
WARRI- The leadership of Pan Niger Delta People’s Congress (PNDPC) has disclaimed reports going round that its organization has merged with PANDEF. It described the report as false and misleading.
His Royal Majesty, Charles Ayemi-Botu, Pere of Seimbiri Kingdom and Leader of PNDPC made the disclaimer in a press statement sent to Daily Watch, said ‘‘ The attention of the leadership of the Pan Niger Delta People’s Congress (PNDPC) has been drawn to a very spurious and preposterous claim making the rounds that it has merged into one with PANDEF.
‘‘For the avoidance of doubt, the purported merger is not only false and misleading but also a mere figment of the imagination of those who orchestrated the non-existence merger.
‘‘It is worthy to state that at no time did the leadership and members of the PNDPC resolved to merge with PANDEF.
‘‘On the contrary, at the Opokuma Summit of the PNDPC which was attended by the clergy, politicians, traditional rulers, agitators and representatives of various ethnic groups in the Niger Delta including those pushing for the merger, it was unanimously agreed that the PNDPC would continue to operate as an independent entity mandated by the agitators to open fresh dialogue with the Federal Government on the way forward.
‘‘It should be placed on record that no meeting has been held to review the standpoint of the PNDPC after the Opokuma Summit, therefore no such decision has been taken to merge with any other organization’’ His majesty said.
He stated further that PNDPC is open to constructive engagement with all critical stakeholders in the Niger Delta Project; it has no plans to merge with any organization at least not in the foreseeable future.
‘‘It is therefore laughable, unethical and a very painful betrayal of trust by a few self-serving individuals who have a penchant for being double standard to unilaterally declare that PNDPC has ceased to exist.
‘‘As a credible body led by responsible leaders from the Niger Delta, the PNDPC shall continue to respect and uphold the rights of individuals to meet, form or belong to any organizations and pursue their aims and objectives as guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
‘‘The leadership and members of PNDPC however viewed as fatalistically incorrect, highly provocative and a direct affront on the sensibilities of members for a few individuals to arrogate to themselves authority they do not have to make such unguarded declaration without proper consultation.
‘‘The PNDPC shall remain focus on its core mandate and pursue to the letter its strategic working document distributed at the Opokuma Summit and urge the general public to discountenance any announcement on the contrary.
‘‘PNDPC is very much aware of the infiltration of fifth columnists and political jobbers as well as their agents and cohorts in Government whose sole aim is to continue to make capital gains out of the Niger Delta struggle at the expense of the genuine agitators and generality of the Niger Delta People.
‘‘PNDPC notes with deep concern that unbridled greed for wealth, contract and people seeking political relevance have plunged the Niger Delta into an irredeemable abyss of underdevelopment, self-perfidy, divisive tendencies driven by hate, selfishness, vaulting ambition and expansionist tendencies by a few individuals whose only agenda is to place the Niger Delta in perpetual bondage.
‘‘The PNDPC is irrevocably committed to the Niger Delta struggle and no amount of blackmail, betrayal of trust and an unholy gang up shall dissuade its leadership from delivering on its core mandate to seek a peaceful resolution of the Niger Delta Question where her citizens shall enjoy economic prosperity, political stability and self-determination within the legal framework of the Nigerian Constitution’’ the statement said.
