{"id":117584,"date":"2025-04-18T09:56:37","date_gmt":"2025-04-18T08:56:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/?p=117584"},"modified":"2025-04-18T09:56:37","modified_gmt":"2025-04-18T08:56:37","slug":"youve-done-well-pandef-commends-speaker-abbas-over-rivers-crisis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/other-news\/youve-done-well-pandef-commends-speaker-abbas-over-rivers-crisis\/","title":{"rendered":"You&#8217;ve Done Well, PANDEF Commends Speaker Abbas Over Rivers Crisis"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">By Tracy Moses<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has commended the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, for his swift and decisive action in addressing the political impasse in Rivers State. The group described the creation of an ad-hoc committee on the state of emergency as a courageous leap toward safeguarding Nigeria\u2019s democracy and constitutional integrity.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In an open letter addressed to the Speaker and signed by PANDEF\u2019s National Chairman, Ambassador Godknows\u00a0 Igali, the forum praised the House leadership for acting promptly in line with the responsibilities outlined in the 1999 Constitution (as amended). The letter hailed the initiative as a \u201cstrong affirmation of the critical role parliaments play in fostering democracy.\u201d<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The forum further welcomed the appointment of House Leader Prof. Julius Ihonvbere as Chairman of the 21-member committee, applauding his global repute as a principled leader and seasoned technocrat. It expressed confidence that under his stewardship, the committee would approach its task with utmost impartiality, patriotism, and dedication to democratic norms.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201cThis oversight effort, if pursued with integrity and fairness, will be remembered as a historic intervention to protect and preserve the soul of Nigeria\u2019s democracy,\u201d the letter read in part.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">PANDEF, however, reiterated its firm rejection of the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, describing it as \u201cunconstitutional, unnecessary, and politically motivated.\u201d According to the forum, the state, despite ongoing political turbulence, has remained peaceful, functional, and economically vibrant.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201cNot a single incident of violence or unrest has been recorded. Rivers remains calm, its people resilient, and its institutions intact. This stands in stark contrast to regions where real insecurity reigns,\u201d the forum asserted.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">While urging residents to maintain peace and cooperate with the current administration, PANDEF decried the appointment of a State Administrator, calling it a \u201cconstitutional aberration\u201d that undermines Nigeria\u2019s democratic credentials on the global stage.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The forum raised concerns about the Administrator\u2019s governance style, accusing him of dissolving legally constituted democratic institutions and replacing them with appointees in disregard of due process. It warned that the continuation of such actions could further erode governance integrity and fiscal accountability.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Citing concerns over arbitrary actions such as the suspension of procurement processes and controversial appointments, PANDEF raised alarm over a growing disregard for transparency, accountability, and due process.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ambassador Igali further reminded the National Assembly that Rivers State boasts a robust and capable civil service that can steer the state during political transitions, just as is practised at the federal level when elected leadership is temporarily absent.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Calling for a swift resolution, PANDEF urged the ad-hoc committee not to merely observe the situation but to actively facilitate a return to democratic governance. The group stressed the strategic economic and political importance of Rivers State and warned that continued authoritarian measures could endanger national unity.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201cThe restoration of democratic order in Rivers State is not just a state matter, it is a national imperative. The world is watching. The people are waiting. This injustice must be reversed,\u201d PANDEF concluded.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In closing, Ambassador Igali extended prayers for Speaker Abbas and members of the committee during the Holy Week, asking for divine wisdom as they undertake what he described as \u201ca sacred mission for the soul of the republic.\u201d<\/div>\n<div class=\"yj6qo\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"adL\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Related Posts generic via filter on the_content -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Tracy Moses The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has commended the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, for his swift and decisive action in addressing the political&hellip;<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Related Posts generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":117585,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-117584","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-other-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.8 - 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