The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has constituted a seven-member peace and reconciliation committee aimed at addressing the protracted political tension in Rivers State.
The leading socio-political organisation in the South-South zone has also handed the panel a two-week deadline to intervene and help restore calm to the crisis-ridden state.
Former Attorney-General of the Federation, Kanu Agabi, SAN, was named chairman of the committee, while Senator Obende Domingo will serve as vice chairman.
Other members of the panel are former Minister of Housing, Chief Essien Nduese; retired Federal Permanent Secretary, Dr. Timiebi Koripamo-Agari; former Director of the Department of State Services, Chief Mike Ejiofor; former Cross River State Attorney-General, Mrs. Nella Rabana-Andem, SAN; and PANDEF’s Deputy National Secretary, Prince Godwin Okotie, who will act as secretary.
Speaking at the inauguration of the committee in Abuja on Monday, PANDEF National Chairman, Godknows Igali, said the assignment of the panel was to ease rising tensions between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the Rivers State House of Assembly, stabilise governance in the state, and promote constructive engagement between the executive and legislative arms.
Igali further appealed to Governor Fubara and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike—both prominent members of PANDEF—to commit themselves to respecting the resolutions that would emerge from the reconciliation effort.
According to him, the committee is expected to identify the major actors driving the crisis, consult widely with stakeholders including former governors, traditional rulers, and political leaders, and submit a detailed report containing recommendations to PANDEF’s Board of Trustees and the President within 14 days.
Responding on behalf of the panel, Agabi described the task as a serious national duty and urged all parties involved to adopt humility, tolerance, and dialogue in resolving their differences.
He cautioned that allowing the crisis to persist could negatively affect the wellbeing of Rivers residents and pose broader risks to national stability.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by the Amayanabo of Twon-Brass, King Alfred Papapreye Diete-Spiff, alongside former governors and respected leaders from the region, including Obong Victor Attah.
Diete-Spiff appealed to both Wike and Fubara to place peace above personal interests, while Attah stressed that the committee must maintain neutrality and focus squarely on protecting the interests and welfare of the people of Rivers State.
What you should know
The Rivers State political crisis centres on tensions between the executive arm led by Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the state legislature, a dispute that has drawn national attention due to Rivers’ strategic economic and political importance.
PANDEF, as the foremost South-South socio-political body, often intervenes in regional conflicts to prevent escalation. The formation of a reconciliation committee led by senior legal, security, and political figures reflects concern that prolonged instability could disrupt governance, development, and peace in the Niger Delta.
The outcome of this mediation may shape political alignment and governance stability in Rivers State going forward.
