PANDEF Mourns Dele Cole, Declares Seven-Day Mourning Period

The Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, has announced the death of their leader and father, Chief (Amb) Patrick Dele Cole, and declared a seven-day mourning period.

In a statement signed by its National Chairman, Ambassador Dr. Godknows Boladei Igali, OON, PANDEF said it received notice from the family of the passing of Chief Cole in the early hours of October 17, 2026.

“Chief PDC as he was often called died in London after a brief illness just weeks after celebrating his 86th birthday,” the statement said.

PANDEF described Cole as a foremost national leader and statesman, an ace educationist, journalist, civil servant, diplomat and politician, noting his roles as Editor-in-Chief of Daily Times of Nigeria, Presidential Adviser on Foreign Affairs, Nigeria’s Ambassador to Brazil, Presidential Candidate under the Social Democratic Party, SDP, and Member of the Board of Trustees of the PDP, among others.

“He was a key figure and brought on board his robust intellectual forte in the various socio-cultural and socio-political bodies of the Niger Delta, especially PANDEF at the time of its formation and till his demise. He was also a strong Christian Leader and an exponent of Nigeria’s cultural legacies, especially of the peoples of the South-South,” the forum said.

PANDEF conveyed condolences to his son, Rt. Hon. Tonye Cole and the rest of the Cole family, the people of Abonnema town in Kalabari Kingdom where he was a High Chief, the Ijaw nation, the government and people of Rivers State and the entire country.

The forum directed all its chapters in Nigeria and the Diaspora to put on hold all official activities of social nature for seven days with effect from Monday, October 18, 2026, to mourn his loss, adding that all PANDEF media platforms should carry his image during the period.