The Pan‑Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has inaugurated a seven‑member High‑Level Peace and Reconciliation Committee to mediate the escalating political crisis in Rivers State, calling on key actors to pursue dialogue and avert further tensions.
The committee was constituted under the authority of PANDEF’s national leadership and tasked with facilitating political resolution efforts.
The committee is chaired by Chief Kanu Godwin Agabi, SAN, a former Attorney‑General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, and was inaugurated following serious concern by PANDEF over recent attempts to remove Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the deepening political division within the state.
The group urged all parties, including the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and Governor Fubara to embrace peace, tolerance and political compromise.
PANDEF, the apex socio‑political organisation representing the South‑South geopolitical zone, said in a statement that the situation in Rivers had reached “grave concern,” noting that the political crisis had been marked by escalating tensions, impeachment proceedings and public disputes.
The forum called on stakeholders to sheathe their swords and embark on constructive engagement to protect democracy and social stability in the state.
In outlining the committee’s mandate, PANDEF said the reconciliation team would work to identify points of contention between rival political camps, propose mutually acceptable solutions, and create avenues for inclusive dialogue among political leaders and civil society groups.
The organisation emphasised the urgency of mediation, describing the initiative as necessary to preserve the democratic process in Rivers.
Chief Agabi, as committee chairman, urged political actors in Rivers State to make sacrifices and embrace forgiveness in order to bring lasting peace to the polity.
He reiterated that dialogue and compromise were essential to resolving the impasse that has dominated state politics for months.
“We call on all stakeholders involved to prioritise peace and engage meaningfully in discussions that respect democratic principles,” Agabi said during the committee’s inauguration.
The Rivers political crisis has persisted for over two years, involving public disputes between Governor Fubara and influential political figures, including Minister Wike, as well as recurrent conflict within the Rivers State House of Assembly over impeachment moves and factional alignment.
PANDEF’s intervention follows widespread concerns that the ongoing political stalemate could undermine governance and development in Africa’s largest oil‑producing state.
Former peace efforts and calls for federal engagement have yielded limited results, heightening expectations that stakeholder‑led mediation may offer a viable path to reconciliation.
Political observers say the committee’s success will depend on the willingness of principal actors to engage in good‑faith negotiations and prioritise state interests over partisan objectives.
As mediation efforts begin, attention will turn to how committee proposals are received by political parties and government leaders in Rivers.
PANDEF’s mediation initiative reflects growing pressure from regional organisations to resolve the protracted Rivers crisis through dialogue rather than litigation or political brinkmanship.
The reconciliation committee could play a critical role in shaping the state’s political trajectory and influence perceptions of democratic conflict resolution in Nigeria.
