Chief Edwin Clark
•Scrapping Of Niger Delta Ministry, More Trouble For Region – PANDEF
By ERIC MOORE
ELDER statesman and National Leader, Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief Edwin Clark, has declared that Nigeria is a country where no one has respect for another.
He has also stated that nobody should be deceived that the country is moving well to better lives of the citizens.
Clark spoke via telephone at the Special General Assembly of PANDEF on the theme, ‘Fostering Peace and Unity for Sustainable Development of the Niger Delta Region’ in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Thursday.
He stated: “Nigeria is divided across the lines of ethnicity, along the lines of religion, hunger and everything that you can think of. Today Nigeria no longer has middle class. The wealthy has carried away the wealth. The seize our oil wells. So, we are nowhere.
“Can you imagine that a man like me, two, three years ago, if I want anything from the oil companies, from the oil industry, I have to travel to Daura (hometown of former President Muhammadu Buhari) to meet with Mr. President who will then grant me. What type of country do we belong to? A country where we have no respect for one another. They think it is right. And this is still continuing.”
Reacting to the scrapping of Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, the elder statesman said it meant nothing to the region because they (federal government) had done it before.
He said: “Today, they declare us as arrogant when we ask for our right. Could you imagine that I was sleeping last night, when I woke, that they now scrapped again the Niger Delta Affairs Ministry? It didn’t come to me as a surprise because when they did it the first time, they were hardly in office. Up till now, provide an investigation. They have provided nothing. So, scrapping it now means nothing to us.”
Speaking on Boko Haram, PANDEF leader said insurgency was introduced to threaten the government of former president Goodluck Jonathan, but they failed.
“Along the line, I gave mentioned, herdsmen and Boko Haram came in. Some of them confessed that Boko Haram came, they brought it to threaten the government of Goodluck Jonathan. Luckily enough Jonathan was able to drive them away. He sent them away before he left office.
“There are many problems to face in Nigeria. Imagine producing fish, but no more fish to eat; imagine producing meat, but no more good food to eat and all that.
Clark charged people of the region to brace up and unite if they must survive in the country.
He declared: “We must work together if we must survive in the country. Who owns this country more than yourselves? Nobody.
“Every country has what God has given to that country to be a powerful country. We, the people of the Niger Delta, are Nigerians. We must fight for Nigeria. We should not allow anyone who cannot manage people’s diversity, who believe that once they are in power their people must take over, our people must be suppressed.
“Former President Muhammadu Buhari did it. He said the Fulanis are the only Nigerians. Every office was headed by a Fulani or Hausa. And today, most of these things are being repeated by President Tinubu.
“In doing so, he has followed the pattern of his predecessor in office. Where are we? We produce the oil, produce everything,” he lamented.
However, PANDEF has declared that the exit of Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs is a demonstration of for troubles for the region.
This was the position of the prominent delegates who spoke at the Special General Assembly.
Among the personalities at the meeting were: Minister of State for Petroleum, Heineken Lokpobiri, first Military Governor of old Rivers State, King Alfred Diete Spiff, former governor Obong Victor Attah, PANDEF National Chairman, Senator Emmanuel Ibom Essien, former military administrators and lawmakers.