IT was like a bolt from the blue when a coalition of nine militant groups, convened by the leader of the Reformed Niger Delta Avengers, RNDA, self- styled “Major General Johnmark Ezonbi, announced the withdrawal of the approval given to the Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, the umbrella body of monarchs, leaders and stakeholders of Niger Delta region, led by former Federal Commissioner for Information, Chief Edwin Clark, by militants in the Niger Delta, penultimate weekend.

RIGHTS group, Centre for the vulnerable and the underprivileged, (Centrep) has accused some Niger Delta leaders of allegedly “commercialising the Niger Delta struggle” following the division among splinter groups involved in the struggle.

COALITION of Niger Delta militant groups, which recently withdrew its mandate to the Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, led by former Federal Commissioner for Information, Chief Edwin Clark, yesterday, announced a new set of leaders under the aegis of Pan Niger Delta Peoples Congress, PNDPC, to dialogue with the Federal Government on behalf of the people of the oil region.

ABUJA—AHEAD of tomorrow’s non-election convention of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, former Federal Commissioner for Information and South-South leader, Chief Edwin Clark, has asked the party to ensure that the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee does not stay in office for more than three months.

CONVENER and National Leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, Chief Edwin Clark, has explained that one of the major reasons for the recent tension in the Niger Delta region, was that every week, the people hear of allocations of billions of naira, evidently from improved government earnings from oil, by the Federal Executive Council, FEC, to projects in other parts of the country with nothing given back to the region.

CONVENER and national leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, Chief Edwin Clark, yesterday, cautioned militants threatening to recommence bombing of oil installations and declare a Republic of Niger Delta, October 1, on account of Federal Government alleged apathy to the peace process in the region, to back out of the dangerous plot.

Two groups, Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) and Niger Delta People’s Congress (NDPC), have cautioned Ijaw leader Edwin Clark against issuing ultimatum to federal government over demands of Niger Delta people.

Director-General, Voice of Nigeria (VON), has decried the ultimatum given by Ijaw National Leader, Chief Edwin Clark, to the Federal Government to constitute negotiation team on Niger Delta’s demands.

AHEAD today’s meeting of Acting President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo and leaders of Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, there was a noticeable discord in the Niger Delta, yesterday, as the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND and the Reformed Egbesu Assembly, REF, withdrew their mandate from the Chief Edwin Clark-led forum.

PAN-NIGER Delta Forum, PANDEF, the umbrella body of monarchs, leaders and stakeholders of the coastal states of the Niger Delta region under the leadership Chief Edwin Clark, yesterday, gave the Federal Government an ultimatum for November 1, 2017 to put in place a mechanism of addressing the 16-point agenda raised by the body.