A crack has hit the leadership of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF following the adoption of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as some executives of the forum have faulted the endorsement describing it as null and void.
PANDEF chairman, Chief Edwin Clark alongside other regional groups in the country, while giving reasons for the adoption, had said: “Nigerians need a capable, intelligent, physically fit leader who has the focus and experience that the outside world will recognize without making mockery of us.”
However, PANDEF Publicity Secretary, Chief Sara-Igbe Anabs while reacting to the adoption, stated that at no time did we meet as a body to take that decision.
Speaking on behalf of the aggrieved executives, Monday, Chief Sara-Igbe said: “The leader can say anything, but it should be on record that PANDEF has not met to take any of such decision.
“As far as I am concerned, we have not met as a body and besides, the constitution of PANDEF bans the forum from being partisan in politics.
“Article 1 of PANDEF constitution states that we must not be partisan, so I do not know how and where that endorsement is coming from but PANDEF as a body and its executive has not met neither has the general assembly of PANDEF which is the highest authority met to take that resolution.
“That does not mean PANDEF members who are in the PDP cannot do whatever they want, they can, but there was no time that the entire body of PANDEF sat down, argued for or against and came to such a resolution.
“As the national publicity secretary and official spokesperson of PANDEF, I am not aware of any such meeting, and I cannot say I am part of it. For decisions to be taken we must meet and whatever decisions that is taken must be within the constitution of such organization and any time we go against the constitution, whatever decision taken is null and void.”
