Lagos — VICE President Goodluck Jonathan and Governors Timipre Sylva (Bayelsa), Rotimi Amaechi, Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom), and Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta) are expected to grace Niger Delta peace consolidation conference in The Hague Netherlands.

The conference, the brain child of Holland-based Hope for Niger Delta Campaign (HNDC) is scheduled for February 25-26 in the Hague, the Netherlands.

Founder of HNDC, Comrade Sunny Ofehe in a statement said the conference would also attract key ex-militant leaders namely. Government Ekpemupolo a.k.a Tompolo, Victor Ben Ebikabowei alias Boy Loaf, Tom Ateke, Mujahid Asari Dokubo and Sobomabo Jackrich.

Also expected at the parley are Ijaw leader, Chief EK Clark, Comrade Joseph Evah (Ijaw Monitoring Group), Tony Uranta (United Niger Delta Energy, Security and Strategy), Dr. Chris Ekiyor (Ijaw Youth Council), Mr. Ledum Mitee (Chairman Niger Delta Technical Committee), Dr. Atuboyedia Obianime (Ijaw National Congress), Mr. Chibuzor Ugwoha (MD, NDDC), Chief Wellington Okrika (DESOPADEC), will also grace the seminar.

The House of Representative will be represented by the Chairmen of the following House Committees, Niger Delta, Ad-Hoc Committee on the Niger Delta Crisis, Defense, Petroleum and Gas Resources (Upstream and Downstream).

"This conference has become significant in the light of the fragile achievement, recorded by Federal Government so far in the Niger Delta, HNDC believe that there is need to consolidate on the successes so far achieved through the amnesty programme, so as to avoid a situation where the Niger Delta will slide back into the state of anarchy that pervaded the region in the last three years.

The emerging tendencies in the aftermath of the amnesty have shown that the Nigerian government does not have all the solutions to ensuring a permanent peace in the oil producing region. In the last months after the former freedom fighters surrendered their weapons, the reality is that there are still several discordant voices reverberating from aggrieved ex-militant leaders who feel short-changed in the process of disarmament," said Ofehe.

The HNDC founder and a former University of Benin (UNIBEN) student activist further said: "Besides, the current effort to end restiveness in the Niger Delta region could be unsustainable unless the involvement of the international community such as the European Union, which can command respect of the parties in the matter. The militants too, want the Nigerian Government to seek foreign help in the post amnesty programme because of the fear that those currently in charge of the programme have little or no experience in crisis management."

He said that a peaceful Niger Delta would enhance into safe business environment for oil multinationals and non-governmental agencies operating in the region.

"It is also, therefore, in the interest of countries whose nationals have substantial interest in the oil firms to support a conference such as this. The Nigerian government and indeed the international community dependent on oil cannot again allow the Niger Delta slide back into the state of anarchy that pervaded the area in the last three years," Ofehe said.