The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has stepped in to mediate between Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, in a bid to resolve their ongoing political dispute.
This peace initiative, which aims to address the tensions exacerbated by the political conflict, comes after President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in the state on March 18, suspending Fubara, his deputy, and all members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The Chairman of PANDEF, Godknows Igali, confirmed that the forum had arranged for a peace meeting between the two political figures.
Speaking on a TV program, Igali explained that PANDEF had approached a southern governor, unaffiliated with the conflict, to host the crucial meeting.
He stated: “We are a body that is formed to promote dialogue, to promote the reign of peace in the region and also defending, of course, the people. A template has been established, and that template is that we go and talk about how we can arrive at a peaceful resolution to this problem.”
Igali noted that PANDEF would have taken a more reactive approach if there had been no opportunity for dialogue.
“If that option was not there, PANDEF would have reacted totally differently,” he emphasized, adding that the mediation process was already showing promising progress.
Describing the steps PANDEF took to facilitate communication between the two sides, Igali explained that the forum had previously encountered resistance from both parties, who were unwilling to engage in discussions.
However, the situation has now shifted, with both factions showing more willingness to come to the table.
“The committee of elders succeeded in talking to the two sides.
“They met people who were very close to the governor. They met with the governor himself twice. Then they also met with the very close people to the minister of the federal capital territory, and the two sides agreed that, okay, let us arrange for the two principals to meet at a neutral ground,” Igali explained
Igali revealed that PANDEF had already identified a neutral location for the peace talks, with the backing of a southern governor.
“We had already started working on that, on a place where both of them can meet face to face. I can put it out that we had approached one of the governors in the south who is very detached from this matter to host, and he had accepted to host,” he said.
Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Minister Nyesom Wike may soon see an end to their lingering feud, thanks to the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF). The group’s chairman, Dr. Godknows B. Igali, has confirmed plans to reconcile the duo, with a committee already set up to mediate the conflict.
The PANDEF peace move is aimed at restoring stability in Rivers State, which has been divided along pro-Wike and pro-Fubara lines. The conflict has led to several legal tussles, and PANDEF hopes to bring the factions together through dialogue and mutual respect.
Led by former Akwa Ibom State Governor Obong Victor Attah, the reconciliation committee includes notable figures like Senator Emmanuel Ibok-Essien, Senator Rowland Owie, and Rear Admiral G. John-Jonah (retd). With PANDEF’s intervention, there’s hope for a peaceful resolution to the Rivers State crisis.
