Port Harcourt—The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF ) has felicitated Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II of Britain, on the occasion of her Platinum Jubilee on the throne.
Thisday newspaper reports that PANDEF, in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Hon Ken Robinson, expressed delight to identify with this milestone celebration of Her Majesty, becoming the first British monarch to celebrate a platinum jubilee following 70 years of exceptional service.
“Her Majesty epitomizes gracious royalty, elegance, kindness, goodwill, and extraordinary leadership. During the seven decades of her reign, Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth 11, who is also the Head of State of the United Kingdom and fourteen other commonwealth countries, has brought joy, happiness, and hope to nations and peoples across the world.
“The National Leader, Chief Dr Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, OFR, CON, the National Chairman, Senator Emmanuel Ibok Essien, FNSE, the Board of Trustees (BoT), the Executive Committees, and the entire Membership of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, offer our congratulations to Her Majesty on her Platinum Jubilee, together with best wishes for her 96th Birthday. We wish Her Majesty, the Queen, continuous good health and many more years to reign.”
The apex socio-cultural organization of the people of the Niger Delta Region, further used the opportunity to call on Her Majesty, the Queen, the Government of the United Kingdom, and the International Community in its entirety, to show greater interest in Nigeria’s transition program to strengthen the credibility of the nation’s electoral process and deepen democracy.
The 96-year-old queen is the first British monarch to reach a platinum jubilee – 70 years on the throne.
Queen Elizabeth ascended to the throne following the death of her father, King George VI, on February 6, 1952. Her coronation was on June 2, 1953, the first to be televised. The nearly three-hour service in Westminster Abbey was watched on television by 27 million people in the United Kingdom alone, according to the royal family.