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Tag: Clark

  • Clark calls for peace

    Clark calls for peace

    The Executive Chairman of the Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State, Chief Ebikeme Clark, has called on the Burutu people to vote for candidates of their choice in today’s elections in peace.

    Chief Clark made the call after a stakeholders’ meeting  where he assured the people that adequate security had been put in place to ensure their safety.

    He said he was proud of the way they came out en masse to vote during the presidential and National Assembly elections.

    After the meeting, he paid a visit  to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) office where he appealed to the Director of Project, Mr. Tuoyo Omatsuli, as a matter of urgency, to protect the  council headquarters from erosion and provide portable water for the community in which the Delta State School of Marine Technology is located.

  • Clark congratulates Buhari

    Ijaw leader Chief Edwin Clark has congratulated President -elect Muhammadu Buhari

    He wrote a letter dated April 3 2015,to wish Buhari well.

    The letter reads: “I am pleased to join our other compatriots in this country and friends from the international community to convey my words of congratulations to you and your party, the All Progressives Congress.

    “I note that the election was keenly contested but the outcome has been determined by INEC, in the exercise of its statutory duties. We must therefore move forward in the interest of peace, unity and progress of our country.

    “I have noted that this is equally the position which you so well stated during your acceptance speech at the collection of your Certificate of Return.”

    “I am glad that the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, who was so gracious to beat the gun in congratulating you, both by a historic telephone call and a national broadcast, underlined the need for the spirit of placing our national interest above individual or group ambition.”

    “This was an uncommon display of purposeful leadership and patriotism which I believe sets a propitious cue for the new government.

    “This act of statesmanship and honesty of purpose no doubt went a long way to disappoint our detractors both within and outside our country who thought that the result of the elections will not be accepted by any of the two major contestants and thereby create a chaotic situation in the country and satisfying those prophets of doom who felt there will be no more Nigeria after the 2015 General elections.”

     

  • Anti-graft: Blame EFCC not Jonathan for low record – Clark

    Anti-graft: Blame EFCC not Jonathan for low record – Clark

    Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark has blamed the anti-graft agencies for President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration lack of success in the corruption fight.

    Clark noted that the inept of the agencies to investigate and prosecute corrupt cases especially that of public office holders were responsible for the various corruption allegations against President.

    Stressing that rather than doing proper job, the agencies are only focusing on cyber crime and petty theft.

    Consequently, Chief Clark urged President Jonathan to re-organize the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC.

    Clark who addressed journalists in Abuja Friday claimed that the agency has not done enough: stressing that the agency was due for reorganization and armed with teeth for effective discharge of its mandate.

    He also disagreed with the present orientation of the agency waiting to receive petitions first before investigating open cases against public office holders.

    Clark also faulted the report credited to ‎the Presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress, General Muhammadu Buhari that his fight against corruption will start on May 29, 2015 when he would have be sworn-in as the President, if he wins the March 28 Presidential elections.

    He noted that it would be wrong to just ask those who have looted the treasury to go and sin no more.

    Clark who noted that the implication of Buhari’s statement was that those who were facing corrupt charges or alleged of corruption before May 29, 2015 would be pardoned.

    According to him, “had the agencies charged with fighting corruption been up and doing, no one will accuse President Jonathan of not doing enough to fight corruption. Given that nothing substantial is being done, one is primed to advise Mr. President to immediately reorganize the EFCC for effective discharge of its mandate.

    “In all advanced democracies, anti-graft agencies would swing into action following the kind of revelations and allegations against most people walking free on our streets today. Unfortunately, our own anti graft agencies have simply adopted a ‘sidon look’ position”.

    Clark further stated that it was on that note that Buhari changed the tune of his music as to when he will begin his fight against corruption‎.

    He however stated that the APC is not qualified to fight corruption contrary to what Buhari had said during his campaign.

    He said; “General Muhammadu Buhari has always anchored his campaign promises on two planks: to wipe out insecurity and corruption. With the renewed offensive against the terrorists leading to the killing and dislodgement of the Boko Haran anarchists, the first campaign plank of Buhari has been given a technical knock-out by President Goodluck Jonathan and the whole world is witnessing the reclaiming of all territories hitherto held by Boko Haram.

    “This leaves him on a one-legged platform. Again on the remaining plank; corruption, General Buhari himself got jittery and gave himself another technical knock-out when he said that he will not probe past leaders. With this development, Buhari has conceded that he has nothing more to offer the good people of this country.

    “I am puzzled to hear Buhari say that ‘whoever has been indicted on corruption between 1999 to the time of his swearing-in would be pardoned. According to him, like a village sports man, he will draw a line, anybody who involves himself in corruption after he assumes office on May 29, 2015 will face the music, while no matter how corrupt a person has been before then, he/she would be asked to go and sin no more.

    “One wonders if the man, Buhari knows what the law says about corruption. Will General Muhammadu Buhari’s proclamation take the effect of law?

    “What is Buhari really afraid of? Why is he promising a blanket pardon to all corrupt office holders before the election? Is that his new selling point?”

     

     

  • Clark begs Akwa Ibom aspirants not to dump PDP

    Clark begs Akwa Ibom aspirants not to dump PDP

    Ijaw elder statesman and President Goodluck Jonathan’s  manfriday, Chief Edwin Clark, has pleaded with the 22 aggrieved former governorship aspirants of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State not to desert the party for the APC.

    According to him, the opposition is an alliance between the APC presidential candidate Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and the leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

    He noted that Gen. Buhari is surrounded by controversies, accusing him of surviving on ethnic and religious sentiments.

    “It’s clear that apart from clinging to sectional, ethnic and religious sentiments, the APC presidential candidate has no idea of running a democratic state, he said.

    He pleaded with the aggrieved former aspirants not to leave the party for the APC, assuring them that he was conversant with their case and that President Jonathan would right the wrong by repositioning the party.

    “I am very much aware of the situation of the 22 PDP aspirants, who felt cheated by Governor Godswill Akpabio’s titanic hold of party structures and the emergence of the PDP governorship candidate in Akwa Ibom State.

    “These illustrious party aspirants were very angry, threatening to leave the party if justice is not done in their agitation to have a free, fair and transparent party primary; though only one joined the opposition APC, others had remained.

    “Mr President, no doubt, will address this injustice with the view of repositioning the party so that loyal party members and Nigerians, who remain steadfast to the present transformation, can be rewarded with good governance,” Clark said.

  • Clark slams PDP leaders over Jonathan’s re-election bid

    Clark slams PDP leaders over Jonathan’s re-election bid

    IJAW leader Chief Edwin Clark has doubted the sincerity of Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) leaders about President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election bid.

    Clark, who is a strong backer of the president, however, said his fate was in the hands of the nation’s youth.

    Speaking in Abuja at the weekend when members of Northern Youth Vanguard visited him, he alleged that most of the PDP chieftains have not shown any seriousness in the ongoing presidential campaign.

    He also predicted that the last primaries might spell doom for the party, if urgent steps were not taken to address the injustice in the exercise.

    He argued that most of the people, who emerged at the end of the primaries, were candidates with no political value to add to the PDP presidential bid.

    Clark did not also spare the PDP governorship candidate for Adamawa State and former anti-graft boss, Nuhu Ribadu, citing his case as one of the injustice in the party.

    He said: “When there are more qualified people who can win votes for Mr. President, but they were asked to step down. For what? Why must Adamawa Governor Bala Igilari be thrown out and the ticket given to Ribadu? Is there any justice there?

    “These are some of the problems we are facing. Those who parade themselves in PDP uniform, some of them are anti-PDP.

    “So that is why you people must act quickly. It is the youth of Nigeria that will deliver the presidency with the good elite, who are not mischief-makers.”

    Clark urged the youth to put the nation first before any other considerations, adding: “Let’s work for the best man; no matter where he comes from.”

    The elder statesman also appealed to the media to help douse the nation’s political tension ahead of the presidential elections.

    He also reminded the youth that Buhari of today was not the military General that the nation used to know.

    On allegations of corruption against Jonathan’s government, Clark noted that former President Olusegun Obasanjo was only shouting just to discredit the president.

  • …sack him from PDP — Clark

    …sack him from PDP — Clark

    Political godfather ,Chief Edwin Clark, said  yesterday that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) should expel former President Olusegun Obasanjo from its ranks forthwith.

    The Ijaw leader is displeased with the former president for supporting the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate in next month’s election, General Muhammadu Buhari, against PDP’s President Goodluck Jonathan.

    Receiving representatives of  several PDP campaign groups at his Abuja residence, Chief Clark called Obasanjo’s recent actions and statements as anti-party activities,  deserving of summary expulsion.

    He said that President Jonathan has no business wooing  Obasanjo to back his  re-election bid more so after   the former president had declared his preference for Buhari by defending him  over the   N25billion alleged to have been unaccounted   for at the defunct Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) during his (Buhari’s) tenure.

    Clark said: “Obasanjo is defending him because he wants the APC to win. How much corruption have you found in Jonathan that you are calling him corrupt?

    “What is wrong with the PDP? That man (Obasanjo) should not be allowed to be in the party. You beg him all the time. He has made up his mind. He gathered the APC women to abuse President Jonathan,

    “If a man you dissolved his committee (PTF) could not account for N25billion and you are now saying that man is not corrupt, then Buhari and Obasanjo are the same. They are in a marriage of convenience just to remove Jonathan.

    “Obasanjo  doesn’t know what the definition of corruption is. There is big trouble in this country when corrupt people call others corrupt.”

    The South South leader also expressed  concern on the preparedness of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for next month’s election, saying that he has no confidence in the electoral body. He alleged that the chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, was biased against the return of President Jonathan to office.

    “I have lost confidence in the INEC. How can a university professor be so biased and does not want Jonathan to come back? It is so disgraceful that he has allowed ethnicity and religion to take control of him,” Clark said.

    He also accused the INEC boss of juggling voters’ population  and attempting to create 30,000 polling units  as part of his scheme to ensure President Jonathan is not re-elected.

    Besides, he expressed doubt over the workability of the non-violence accord signed by Buhari and Jonathan ahead of the presidential election.

    Clark, who said the accord  meant nothing to him,said he would however be glad if it could engender the necessary peace before, during and after the elections.

    He noted that the accord was not necessary, blaming its existence on what he said was the desperation of some people who he said believed that power belongs to them.

    On Buhari’s promise to stop the Boko Haram insurgency if he wins, Clark said: “If Buhari comes and it (insurgency) stops, it is because they control it. They listen to him. They started it. They know how Boko Haram started. It is easier for them to stop it.

    “But Jonathan is working on it. He has toured the area, but they have read meaning to it. They are saying it is too late. Nigeria belongs to all of us and together we can salvage it.”

  • Clark’s daughter, students endorse APC in Delta

    Clark’s daughter, students endorse APC in Delta

    The granddaughter of the Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark, Ighosotu Clark, was among tertiary students who campaigned for the All Progressive Congress candidate in Delta South Senatorial District yesterday.

    Ms Clark, an executive member of the National Association of Delta State Students, was also part of the team that paid a solidarity visit to the APC flag bearer, Prince Yemi Emiko, in Warri.

    Emiko is challenging Senator James Manager, an Ijaw from Bomadi area, who has been in the Senate since 2003.

    However, the leader of the student group, Comrade Bolokor Francis, said: “It is not the birthright of an individual or a particular tribe to represent the district for 12 years without proper accountability and transparency.

    “It will be another terrible mistake, if Nigeria students fold their hands and allow the ills of the society to continue.  That is why the students of the state are speaking in one voice and yearning for change and we believe that Prince Emiko and the APC can give us the change we need and deserve.”

    He said the decision to back the APC candidate was taken after a critical assessment of Emiko’s track record in the public service, especially in  Chevron  Nigeria Limited, where he had worked for over two decades.

    Emiko expressed joy that the students decided to endorse him without being lobbied by his campaign group. He said: “This is a clear testimony that there is still hope for this country,because what most students do these days is to ping and not concentrate on anything else.”

  • 2015 polls: Lamido warns Clark, El-Rufai, other over threats

    2015 polls: Lamido warns Clark, El-Rufai, other over threats

    JIGAWA State Governor Sule Lamido has warned Ijaw leader Edwin Clark and Kaduna State All Progressives Congress’ (APC’s) governorship candidate Malam Nasiru el-Rufai to stop heating the polity and threatening next year’s general election.

    Lamido gave the warning at the weekend at the formal flag-off of the state Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) campaign for next year’s general election.

    The governor, who expressed concern over the political statements by people like Clark, Mujahiddeen Dakubo-Asari, el-Rufai and others, described their utterances as “serious threat to national unity, democracy and 2015 general elections.”

    Lamido also expressed dismay at the manner some politicians were preaching do-or-die election.

    He stressed that Nigerians must exercise restraint and put national interest above any individual, regional or group of people’s interest.

    He noted that since Nigeria is practicing federalism, every citizen has the right to associate with any political party or group of his choice.

    Lamido argued that it would be undemocratic, unconstitutional and unacceptable to intimidate, injure or kill any person because he or she vote for political party or candidate of his or her own choice.

    He urged Nigerians to resist any attempt  to intimidate or force them to vote for any candidate or party against their own free will.

    At the event, party’s flags were presented to the state governorship candidate, three senatorial candidates, 11 contenders for National Assembly elections and 30 candidates for the House of Assembly.

  • Clark condemns Shema, Amaechi over comments

    Clark condemns Shema, Amaechi over comments

    A former federal commissioner, Chief Edwin Clark, has condemned in strong terms the hate campaigns by some political gladiators ahead of the 2015 general election.

    Clark, who was apparently reacting to recent statements credited to Governors Ibrahim Shema and Rotimi Amaechi of Katsina and Rivers respectively about their perceived opposition to the government, described the statements as unfortunate.

    The Ijaw leader at a press briefing in Abuja on Monday urged politicians in the country to avoid hate campaigns that could further aggravate the current tension in the country.

    Clark in apparent reaction to Shema’s alleged crushing of cockroach (opposition) and Amaechi’s setting up of parallel government should the ruling party win the coming election, said the people should be allowed to decide and not overheat the polity.

    He also stressed that the constitution and the relevant electoral laws have provided safe guards for any disputes that might emerged from the elections.

    He said: “The statement of Shema is also condemnable. Politics of bitterness must be stopped because it is not healthy for our democracy.”

    On Amaechi, he said “with all seriousness and sense of responsibility and patriotism, I state that alternative or parallel, government is treasonable!”

    He therefore warned that “political gladiators should allow the Nigeria people decide in 2015.

    He added: “The 1999 constitution of Nigeria, the Electoral Act and the judiciary provide adequate safe guards and measures to be taken by any aggrieved person or group, before and after election.”

     

  • Clark decries governors over ambition

    Clark decries governors over ambition

    A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Edwin Clark, has attributed the crisis rocking the party to over-ambitious governors.

    He said the governors wanted to go to the Senate at all cost at the expense of other candidates.

    Clark told reporters at a news briefing in Abuja yesterday that he could not explain why a governor would want to replace a high-ranking senator.

    He said he would discuss the issue with the governors, stressing that it would be wrong to drop a high-ranking senator.

    Clark also condemned the governors’ insistence on nominating their successors.

    He said this was unhealthy for the party.