Niger Delta Elders Reveal Position on Preferred Candidate for 2027

The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has declared that it will not endorse any presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.

However, the elders have urged voters in the South-South to support candidates who can deliver development and protect the interests of the Niger Delta region.

The group said it remained neutral and non-partisan, stressing that it would not align itself with any political party or presidential candidate, including President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress.

PANDEF National Chairman, Ambassador Godknows Igali, and the chairman of its Board of Trustees and former Akwa Ibom State Governor, Obong Victor Attah, stated the position on Tuesday while addressing journalists in Abuja.

They spoke after a meeting attended by former governors, former ministers, traditional rulers and other stakeholders from the six South-South states.

Igali urged voters in the region to examine the programmes, commitments and track records of candidates before deciding whom to support in the 2027 elections.

He said the organisation would not dictate the choice of presidential candidate to the people but expected them to make decisions based on their conscience and the development needs of the Niger Delta.

“PANDEF is non-partisan and not supporting any candidate. It is not a political party or support group,” Igali said.

“We, therefore, call on the people of the South-South to exercise their civic responsibilities peacefully and vote according to their conscience, choosing candidates at all levels whose programmes, commitments, and demonstrated capacity align with the aspirations of the Niger Delta.”

The PANDEF chairman reiterated his appeal to voters, urging them to carefully assess the candidates seeking their votes rather than allow political loyalties to determine their choices.

“I repeat, we call on the people of South-South to exercise their civic responsibility peacefully and vote according to their conscience,” he said.

He added, “We call on our people to ‘shine your eyes’ and vote according to their conscience. They should look at candidates who have the capacity to help us as a region and move this country forward.”

Attah also confirmed that PANDEF had not adopted any presidential candidate for the 2027 election, insisting that the organisation would maintain its neutrality as political parties intensify preparations for the polls.

“We are not aligning ourselves with any candidate. PANDEF has remained entirely neutral and non-partisan,” the former governor said.

“As far as we are concerned, we have stated very clearly that the people of the South-South should shine their eyes and vote for whomever they believe would do their best for the Niger Delta region and the country,” he added.

For the election, the Independent National Electoral Commission has listed presidential candidates and their running mates for the election, including Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress, Tinubu of the APC, Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Adewole Adebayo of the Social Democratic Party and Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress.

Beyond the presidential election, the forum renewed its demand for a significant increase in the revenue derivation allocation to oil-producing states, calling on the Federal Government to raise the current minimum of 13 per cent to 50 per cent.

Igali said a higher derivation allocation would help oil-producing communities address persistent development challenges, including environmental pollution, poor infrastructure and the effects of decades of oil exploration.

The forum also called for the abolition of the onshore-offshore dichotomy in revenue allocation, arguing that oil-producing communities should receive a fairer share of the resources extracted from their environment.

The organisation brings together political leaders, traditional rulers and other stakeholders from Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo and Rivers states.

Igali also called on Niger Delta indigenes holding public office, particularly those serving in the Federal Government, to show greater commitment to the activities of the organisation.

“PANDEF calls on sons and daughters of the Niger Delta who are holding public office, especially at the level of the Federal Government, to show more commitment and interest in the activities of the organisation that are focused on uniting our people and advancing the cause of the Niger Delta,” he said.

The forum maintained that its priority remained the promotion of unity among the people of the region and the pursuit of policies that would improve their welfare.