By Chinyere Aruogu
It emerged on Wednesday that threat of possible boycott of the meeting President Muhammadu Buhari had with Niger Delta leaders on Tuesday in Aso Rock was partly responsible for the absence of former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi.
The meeting had in attendance prominent Niger Delta indigenes including traditional rulers, former and serving governors who had come to rob minds with Buhari on what their expectations from his government are, and how they can work together in the interest of the nation.
Four serving governors were present at the meeting while one was represented. Some of the governors include Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom), Serieka Dickson (Bayelsa), Ben Agande (Cross River).
Prominent monarch from Rivers State, King Alfred Diete-Spiff and elder statesman, Edwin Clark led the camp of traditional rulers and other key persons from the area.
But it was easy to notice the absence of Amaechi, a vocal voice from the Niger Delta and his successor, Nyesom Wike, with a source close to the meeting informing Armadanews that the presence of Amaechi would have signaled the end of the meeting.
According to the source, all the traditional rulers from Rivers were said to be adequately sensitized on the essence of the dialogue and to resist any move from any quarters to have Amaechi attend. “Even, Peterside, the managing director of NIMASA dare not come there because their presence would have scuttled the meeting and the President would have been embarrassed,” the source said.
During the meeting, the people of the Niger Delta, under the aegis of Pan-Niger Delta Forum, submitted 16 conditions to Buhari, which the federal government must meet for lasting peace in the oil-rich region.
Diete-Spiff, the Amanayabo of Brass and Chairman of the Traditional Rulers Council in Bayelsa State, who presented the 16-point request later told reporters that although the people of Niger Delta were going about their businesses with smiles, there was deep seated anger behind the smiles.
Also Clark said the elders had the mandate of the whole Niger Delta people, including the militants and other agitators to discuss with the president.
They said all the bodies created by the federal government to ensure that the Niger Delta benefits from its huge resources had failed to deliver. But Ibe Kachikwu said the dialogue with the militants was already yielding positive results.
“The reality is that as of today and this morning, we are producing at 2.1 million barrels per day. That is substantial. That would not have happened without efforts that went behind through the royal fathers and leaders, through to the militant leaders. A lot of behind-the-scenes engagements have taken place and will continue to take place,” Kachikwu revealed.
He said: “This afternoon, we had the privilege of having a meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari. A meeting with Niger Delta stakeholders led by Chief Edwin Clark and Chief Alfred Diette Spiff.
“Five governors were in attendance – four in attendance, one represented. Some ministers were also in attendance. It was largely a courtesy call to bring to the front burner the issues of the Niger Delta and their concerns.
“And we spent time hearing from the Niger Delta leaders, in terms of their areas of concern and what they believe the federal government should do to bring down pressure and stress in the area and to reduce militancy to the barest minimum, if not completely eliminated.”
He described the meeting as a frank conversation. “It is the beginning of a process. We had over a hundred representatives. So it was a very well attended function.
“Opinions given were very honest, very frank and to the point. But I think at the end of the day, we exchanged enough thought processes to go back to the drawing board to begin a process of work,” he explained.
Clark said the meeting was arranged by Kachikwu and was accepted by the elders, and that although there are many factions of militants, all of them agreed to meet and discuss the way forward.
“There are many factions. Some have their own built-up bases, hotels, and so on. But it was agreed that we should meet to galvanise, collapse all the agitations, all the interest groups into one and this is what we did.
“So we formed a central body known as Pan-Niger Delta Forum, with me as the leader and HRM Diete Spiff, a former governor of old Rivers State, and a former governor of Akwa Ibom, Arc. Obong Victor Attah, as the chairmen of the Central Working Committee that we will organise the visit and we invited all the interest groups and they came and what we saw today is a combination of all interest groups.
“Mr. President received us very well. Today is November 1, a remarkable day. There were many of you, particularly the press, who tried to give the wrong impression that all was not well between the federal government and the Niger Delta people.
“So I am not surprised that you are now asking how the meeting fared. It went very well and all groups were represented. We discussed and presented a paper, which was presented by HRM Alfred Diette Spiff and Mr. President said he has noted everything that was there and that he would see that it is studied and that is what we have been looking forward to.
“That it was the disconnect that made the government unaware of what we were doing. It was clear that dialogue was key.
“The president will now set the ball rolling, with the minister assisting him. We presented 16 points, which we mentioned in our address, following which we will appoint a very capable team of experts to negotiate on our behalf.
“But let me say this: You mentioned the Niger Delta Avengers. They were not supposed to be here. They gave us the authority as their fathers to negotiate on their behalf on the 19th of August when we met at the PTI (Petroleum Training Institute), Warri.
“There is no doubt that many groups will spring up after this. Perhaps, one man will be in his house and say we are 20 and you will publish it. But we will continue to appeal to them. We have no other country but Nigeria.
“We cannot continue to destroy the assets of this country and at the same time destroy the ecosystem of our own region. So we are appealing to the youths and they are listening.
“One thing that gladdened our hearts today was when the minister was addressing the audience, he mentioned that the issue of the Maritime University had been settled. We now have it as the first goodwill from the government and we have a duty to react,” Clark stated.
Okowa called on the media to report the crisis in the Niger Delta correctly.
‘In the last two and a half months, I don’t think we have had any issues with the Niger Delta Avengers because I know that after the meeting in August, that was a stakeholders meeting led by Chief Clark and some of them, we have not had any real issues with them.
“It is important that we put this on paper and it is our hope that we will continue with the consultations and they have given the elders the mandate to speak on their behalf in the meeting that will follow through,” he said: