The youth wing of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), the leading socio-political body for the South-South region, has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Nyesom Wike, demanding that he retract his recent remarks against the Ijaw nation and PANDEF leaders.
The youth group expressed outrage over Wike’s comments, stating that it was unacceptable for him to insult the late Chief Edwin Clark, a former Federal Commissioner for Information and respected South-South leader, even in death.
Speaking to journalists on Saturday, National Youth President of PANDEF’s youth wing, Doben Donyegha, condemned Wike’s statements.
He noted that it was particularly offensive that the minister attacked the South-South leaders less than 24 hours after their delegation met with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
It will be recalled that during a media chat on Thursday, Wike described PANDEF as “the worst organisation anybody can rely on” and referred to its board of trustees as “political merchants.”
In response, Donyegha called on President Tinubu to immediately remove Wike from his cabinet, arguing that the youth wing had lost confidence in him.
He warned that Wike’s continued presence in the administration could negatively impact the president’s re-election prospects in the Niger Delta in 2027.
Furthermore, the PANDEF youth leader urged the Code of Conduct Bureau to investigate Wike over alleged land-grabbing activities in the Federal Capital Territory.
