Nigeria: PANDEF Distances Self From Planned Protest Against NDDC Leadership

14 January 2026
Daily Trust (Abuja)
By Cecilia Oje

The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has distanced itself from a planned protest against the leadership of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The body said a group claiming to be PANDEF had published on social media its plan to protest against the Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Samuel Ogbuku, at the National Assembly.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, the Youth Leader of the PANDEF, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Chapter, Embale Jonathan, said, "The leadership of the Pan Niger Delta Youth Leaders Forum strongly condemns recent publications being circulated on social media by certain unscrupulous and baseless elements, falsely claiming to be us, regarding a supposed planned protest at the National Assembly demanding the removal of the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief (Dr.) Samuel Ogbuku.

"We categorically state that the Pan Niger Delta Youth Leaders Forum neither authorised nor endorsed any such planned protest.

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"Any statement, publication, or media commentary suggesting that we are calling for the removal of the current Managing Director of the NDDC is false, misleading, and deliberately intended to deceive the public."

He advised members of the public, the media, government authorities, and development partners to ignore any publication or statement linking the Forum to such misdemeanours.

He added that the Pan Niger Delta Youth Leaders Forum recognises and appreciates the visible, measurable, and commendable efforts of the current NDDC Managing Director, Chief Samuel Ogbuku, whose leadership has infused renewed focus, administrative discipline, and developmental momentum into the Commission."

Also speaking, the PANDEF Chairman in FCT, Chief Premier David Bello, expressed optimism that constructive engagement remained the best pathway to addressing any outstanding issues.

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