PANDEF youth demands apology from Wike over insult on Ijaw nation, issues 2-day ultimatum

The National Youth Wing of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has given the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, a 48-hour ultimatum to issue an unreserved apology for allegedly insulting the Ijaw Nation during a recent media parley.  

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Saturday, PANDEF National Youth Leader, Donben Donyegha, accused Wike of making disparaging remarks against the Ijaw ethnic group, including former President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, who played a key role in his political rise.

He also condemned Wike’s comments about PANDEF, which the minister allegedly described as the “worst organization to rely on.”

Donyegha was accompanied by Comrade Mathew Digi, Deputy National Youth Leader, and Hon. Prince Oleh Victor, National Coordinator for Student Affairs.

The youth leader further lamented that Wike’s remarks were particularly painful to the Ijaw people as they came at a time when their revered leader, Chief Edwin Clark, had not yet been buried.

While in office as governor of Rivers State, Wike allegedly displayed a similar attitude by insulting respected traditional rulers, telling one of them that he resembled Uthman Dan Fodio.

According to Donyegha, the same Wike had knelt down before Chief Clark to seek support for his governorship ambition.

Addressing President Tinubu, the PANDEF Youth Leader told him that Wike has been seated by all the leaders of Rivers State who he said want a peaceful Rivers State to enable Governor Siminalayi Fubara to govern “because he is doing very well.”

He alleged that Wike was using certain individuals to cause disruption in the state and therefore demanded that President Tinubu should withdraw him as a minister.

He alleged that the FCT minister has already caused too much problems in the Rivers and Niger Delta, jeopardizing the chances of a Tinubu reelection in 2027.

“The South-South will be very difficult for President Tinubu in 2027 because of the damaged Wike has already done,” he stated.

The group admonished him to emulate Senate President Godswill Akpabio, another political leader sore the Niger Delta who the group said had conducted himself in decent manner.

“We have no confidence in Wike. We are calling on President Tinubu to withdraw him as a minister and subject him to the investigation of the Code of Conduct Bureau for breaching various infractions in office,” he stated.