Warri (Delta) – The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), has pledged to support the proposed dialogue with the Federal Government being championed by Chief Edwin Clark.
The Secretary of the miltant group Mr Timipa Okponipene made the pledge on Friday when he paid a courtsey visit to Clark in his house in Warri.
Okponipene, who condemned the activities of the Niger Delta Avengers, also presented MEND’s terms and conditions for participation in the dialogue to Clark.
According to him, the Ijaw national leader should lead the dialogue team while two slots should be left for women.
“I am sent to pledge our support and loyalty to Chief Edwin Clark.
“The dialogue group shall also comprised six eminent personalities in the Niger Delta and Clark will be the leader,’’ he said.
Okponipene said that MEND had no problem with Clark, adding that they only had different ideological approach to issues.
Earlier, the former Police Affairs Minister, Mr Broderick Bozimo, said that the reason for the gathering was to address the recent publication in which some Ijaws monarchs went to misrepresent the Niger Delta in Abuja.
“We are amazed at what we saw on the television and read in the newspapers where some monarchs misrepresented us before the Minister for State for Petroleum, Dr Ibe Kachikwu.
“The purpose of this gathering is to ensure the group remain united and ensure the dialogue succeed,’’ he said.
In his remark, Clark said that the monarchs went to Abuja on their own accord.
