The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) had expressed total pain over the death of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, which sad event occurred on Wednesday 27th December 2023 at the age of 67.
A statement by the National Chairman of the Forum, Senator Emmanuel Ibok Essien, indicated that, the National Leader of PANDEF, Chief Dr E.K. Clark, the Board of Trustees, the National Executive Committee, the entire members of the organization, and indeed the people of the South-South geopolitical zone are in mourning mood
“PANDEF acknowledges late Governor Akeredolu’s standings as a great Nigerian lawyer, jurist, public servant, and politician, amongst other things.
PANDEF and indeed the entire Nigerian people will eternally remember his forthright views on issues of constitutional law and national importance, particularly while he held sway as President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).
“His critical thoughts on daily affairs and constitutionalism in major ways contributed to the consolidation of our democracy and peaceful coexistence as a people.
“It is also an ineffaceable fact that under his watch as Governor, Ondo State became a center point of economic and social development.
“As Chairman of the South-West Governors Forum, Rotomi Akeredolu played critical roles that culminated in the birth of ‘Amotekun’, a sub-regional security outfit, being the first of its type in our country.
“This singular initiative, substantially, brought down the spate of kidnapping, killings, and brigandage in the South West zone.
“‘Aketi’ as he was fondly called was a dogged fighter and was an outstanding, strong, and steadfast proponent of the quest for the rotation of the presidency to the Southern part of the country in 2023.
According to the statement, It was his principled stance, along with some Northern Governors, and groups such as the Southern and Middle Belt Forum including PANDEF that ultimately led to the emergence of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The statement said, “It is most painful that Rotimi Akerefolu passed on at this time. We convey our condolences to his wife, the children, the Government, and the people of Ondo State, at large, and indeed the Nigerian federation, over the demise of this colossus; a national public personality of a higher class, whose name will be indelible in the annals of our history and future existence.”