18
Apr
Apr
PANDEF COMMENDS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FOR OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE ON RIVERS STATE EMERGENCY
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CapitalTimesNews / 4 days
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The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has commended the House of Representatives for constituting and inaugurating the Adhoc Committee to provide oversight on the current State of Emergency in Rivers State. In a statement, National Chairman of PANDEF, Ambassador Godknows B. Igali, expressed profound appreciation to the leadership of the 10th House of Representatives, particularly Honourable Speaker Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, for the courage and foresight in setting up the committee. Igali said the decision to offer impartial and dispassionate oversight in Rivers State has been resoundingly applauded by patriotic Nigerians across the country. “It is especially heartening that the Chairmanship of the Committee was entrusted to Professor Julius Ihonvbere—a globally respected scholar, accomplished public servant, and principled politician whose integrity and character are widely acknowledged,” Igali added. PANDEF has consistently opposed the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, which it believes does not align with the constitutional criteria for such a measure. Igali emphasized that the appointment of the Administrator is not only a constitutional aberration but also a serious dent on Nigeria’s democratic image and its standing within the international community. Igali is calling on the Adhoc Committee to seize the opportunity to etch their names in gold by providing effective oversight of the Administrator’s actions and reversing some of the unlawful measures he has undertaken since assuming office. “The Administrator’s pattern of governance has included the appointment of Sole Administrators for Local Government Councils, heads of government agencies, and more recently, ministries due process and democratic norms,” Igali noted. The PANDEF National Chairman urged the Committee to actively facilitate a political resolution in Rivers State, pursued with urgency, diligence, and an unwavering sense of neutrality. “The restoration of democracy in the state, most importantly through the reinstatement of its duly elected governor, is a mission of national importance – one that must be accomplished without delay,” Igali stressed.
