The group said the forthcoming meeting vindicates MEND and the Federal Government’s continued insistence and belief, from the start, that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is committed to ensuring the return of peace to and ending the neglect of the Niger Delta region.
The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has announced its support for the meeting scheduled to hold between President Muhammadu Buhari and the Pan-Niger Delta Group (PNDG), led by Ijaw National Leader, Chief (Dr.) Edwin Clark, on 31 October.
MEND announced its endorsement in a statement issued on Sunday. The group said the forthcoming meeting vindicates MEND and the Federal Government’s continued insistence and belief, from the start, that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is committed to ensuring the return of peace to and ending the neglect of the Niger Delta region.
"We were the first and only militant group in the Niger Delta region to meaningfully and constructively engage in talks with the Federal Government with a view to resolving the Niger Delta crisis, as duly confirmed by no less a person than President Muhammadu Buhari sometime in July, 2016, in his farewell remarks to the outgoing German Ambassador, Mr. Michael Zinner.
"His Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, later confirmed our claim when he informed the media that the Presidency was waiting to receive the final agreement," said MEND.
Sequel to the talks it held with the Federal Government, added MEND, several concessions were secured by both parties.
The Federal Government, explained MEND, secured a major concession in MEND's firm commitment to work to ensure that it gets all aggrieved militant groups in the region to agree to a ceasefire and come under a single umbrella for negotiation.
MEND disclosed that it kept to the terms of the agreement by using its vast contacts to prevail on militant groups and criminal elements among others to agree to a ceasefire and recognise Chief Clark as the leader of the Niger Delta region in proposed talks with the Federal Government.
Following that, the group said it formally disbanded the Odein Ajumogobia-led Aaron Team 2 and queued behind Chief Clark in the overall interest of the Niger Delta region.
MEND added that evidence of its success could be gleaned from the increase in the country’s oil and gas production capacity.
However, MEND said the Federal Government is yet to keep to the terms of the agreement reached with it.
"Indeed, one of the key concessions secured by MEND was that, the Federal Government would concede to the release of certain political prisoners, including but not limited to the Okah Brothers – Henry and Charles.
"Nevertheless, with news of the forthcoming meeting between President Buhari and the Chief Clark-led Pan Niger Delta Group, we are confident that the concessions already secured by MEND shall be respected by the Federal Government," MEND said
As a result, the group urged members of the PNDG to put aside personal interests.
"Rather, we implore them to realize that the Niger Delta region is at a Zebra Crossing and therefore, they must remain steadfast and focused on their core mandate, to wit: restoration of sustainable and permanent peace and development of the region," the group counseled.
