The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has distanced the Niger Delta and South-South geopolitical zones from the agitations for an independent Biafra nation.
PANDEF, in a statement on Wednesday by its National Youth Leader, Donben Donyegha, said any attempt to drag the regions into the Biafra agitations would be firmly resisted.
Donyegha insisted that the Niger Delta region is not interested in breaking away from Nigeria, and those including the region in Biafra agitations are insulting the people of the area.
He added that including the region in any plan to break away from Nigeria is provocative behaviour.
The statement read, “The proponents of Biafra Republic have been warned to desist from their action of including communities of Niger Delta, the South South Geo political zone in their plan to secede from Nigeria. We the Apex Social Political body of the Niger Delta are not party to this agitation.
“We therefore warn that the continued inclusion of PANDEF Areas or communities into the so-called Biafra Republic is provocative and tantamount to insult on the Leaders of the Niger Delta Region. We the youths shall resist this in all ramifications. Any further attempt to further disregard or belittle our Leaders and fathers with this provocative publication or pronouncement of Biafra Republic with inclusion of any of the Towns or territories of the Niger Delta shall meet a strong resistance from us, the youths. They are hereby warned to henceforth desist from it. Niger Delta is not Biafra.
“PANDEF believes in True Nigeria where nobody is made a 2nd class citizen. We believe in the Unity of Nigeria but a Nigeria where equal opportunities abound, where the Sub National, the states control their God’s given resources and pay tax to the Cetre for maintenance of homeland Security, Territorial integrity and sovereignty, foreign policy and international Diplomacy.
“We strongly believe that it is on these principles that Nigeria can achieve her predetermined objectives of holistic and sustainable peace and development as every subunit can then grow at their own pace. Though the Nigeria our Heroes past fought for was enshrined as encapsulated in the Nigeria Constitution of 1964 which operated until the 1966 military coup and the counter coup.”
PANDEF said it would continue to engage the federal and state governments on areas of dissatisfaction and seek intellectual ways to address any grivances the people of the Niger Delta may have.
“Despite the fact that the 1999 constitution has major departure from the 1964 constitution, PANDEF shall continue to engage government at the federal and State levels to ensure that the vision of our Founding Fathers is realized, more so as we have Amb Godknows Igali, an astute Intellectual of International repute as our National Chairman
“On this basis we want Nigerians and the International communities to carefully and sensibly take note that Niger Delta is not and can never be part of the plan of some individual to break away from Nigeria under the aegis of Biafra Republic. We believe that this caution and warning shall give these agitators, be they in Nigeia soil or in foreign Nation(s) the sense of maturity to refrain and abstain from this provocative action and behaviour.”