Politics
Clark To Niger Delta: Vote Only President Who Supports Restructuring
Leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) and foremost Ijaw nationalist, Chief Edwin Clark, has advised people of the Niger Delta not to vote for any politician that does not support the restructuring of the country.
He said however that they must be careful not to fall for politicians who merely mouth restructuring without really meaning it.
Clark said the people must ask the presidential candidates about their manifestoes to determine whether it meets the aspirations of the Niger Delta before supporting them.
“If it says restructuring, then vote for that person,” he advised, adding: If this country is restructured, within 10 years, the pattern of life will change.
Speaking while receiving leaders of various youth councils in the region led by the President General of the Niger Delta Nationalities Youth Leaders Council, Peretubo Oweilaemi, at his Asokoro Abuja residence on Wednesday, he regretted that the Niger Delta has been marginalised in the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) even though it produces 98 per cent of the crude oil.
“The thing we produce in our area feeds the whole country. Yet, we are beggars in our own country.
“Could you imagine a situation whereby nine directors in NNPC appointed by President Buhari, six of them are Northerners including the Chief of Staff (to the president), one from South West, one from Niger Delta with all the oil we produce in is country,” he said.
The same thing he said happened in the appointment of NNPC General Managers, which he said had 10 from the North, two from the South West, two from the South-South and none from the East.
He pointed out that Imo and Abia states which also produce crude oil got no representation.
He said out the 55 Managers appointed, 36 came from the North and while the remaining were spread among the other parts of the country.
“So, they control the oil, they maintain it and what do they say? ‘we are ungrateful for anything they give to us, we are troublemakers and so on,” he added.
Clark further stated: “Today, some people say oil flowed from the desert and came to our area, we don’t own it. They won it. They are now managing it.
“We are saying, restructure this country. If you restructure the country, whatever is produced in your area, you manage it at your own pace,” he asserted.
The elder statesman, however, appealed to the youths to remain calm, saying that with God on their side, they will prevail.
He said the country must be restructured to allow all the component parts to develop at its own pace as it was in the first republic.
The one time Federal Commissioner of Education observed that there is the perception that the country as it is now is “lopsided, deliberately constituted to oppress some people,” saying that the people must continue to speak their minds.
Chief Clark, whose residence was searched by the police last Tuesday, said he decided to accept the police apology over the incident because he wanted to avert war in the Niger Delta.
He said: “So, they (police) came and apologised, they disowned those boys but I said don’t. We are no fills. Those boys have no powers to come and search my house.
“When they were here, somebody her phoned an Assistant Inspector General of Police and he answered.
“When my people went to their office, the boys did not stop on their own, they took them to their boss. So, don’t lie to me. But the apology, I have accepted it because of Nigerians.
“And if I don’t, problem will take place in the Niger Delta. I hear the boys and the girls are already gathering in Port Harcourt, in Yenegoa, WARRI and so on, even up to Arogbo in Ondo state.
“I have to accept it their apology in the interest of peace and in the interest of our country. But go and make it public. And so, they did.”
He affirmed that he had written a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari demanding that the matter be investigated to fish out those who were responsible for it.
Clark said instead of embarrassing him, the police only succeeded in embarrassing themselves.
In his remark, the leader of the delegation demanded that the police publicly parade the officers involved in the search of Clark’s residence, otherwise, it would be seen that the police lied.
He said the people of the Niger Delta wanted to know the officers and be assured that they were not merely moved by the police to continue their service other areas.
Anonymous
September 14, 2018 at 8:49 am
It is a shame that a person of this caliber is clamouring for restructuring, knowing fully well that notherners occupied the crude oil in his backyard even as they control the center government, then how possible can Nigeria be restructured if not to devide. Atiku who is the headman in restructuring campaign occupied several oil wells in Niger delta, how then you expect him to deliver?. no able bodied nothern man will agree with it not even Saraki from the Middle-belt.
Anonymous
September 14, 2018 at 7:43 am
U hv said it all sir
Anonymous
September 13, 2018 at 6:55 pm
Anonymous
September 13, 2018 at 5:37 pm
Only God knows.
Anonymous
September 13, 2018 at 4:39 pm
TELL THEM
Anonymous
September 13, 2018 at 4:29 pm
PA. CLARK PLEASE STOP FOOLING YOURSELF, STOP MISLEADING OUR FUTURE GENERATIONS BY REPEATING WHAT YOU KNOW THAT IS NOT THE WISH OF OUR PEOPLE. WE NEED REFERENDUM AND NOTHING ELSE, PERIOD
Anonymous
September 13, 2018 at 4:16 pm
Good morning Mr Clark
Anonymous
September 13, 2018 at 3:58 pm
OK now
Anonymous
September 13, 2018 at 3:53 pm
In Biafra Referendum we stand
Anonymous
September 13, 2018 at 3:30 pm
In ur widest dream will Nigeria be restructured .
Anonymous
September 13, 2018 at 12:41 pm
Old age is disturbing you
Anonymous
September 13, 2018 at 12:11 pm
You are just a parasites. Mumu
Anonymous
September 13, 2018 at 12:10 pm
Same restructuring is what causes the civil war do u think is now u will see get it Sir pls u cnt get restructuring in Nigeria even apc will shout restructuring
Anonymous
September 13, 2018 at 11:52 am
We are voting nobody. Referendum is what we want.
Anonymous
September 13, 2018 at 11:21 am
Stupidity. Boycott election
Anonymous
September 13, 2018 at 7:53 am
Unfortunately, none of them support it
Anonymous
September 13, 2018 at 7:30 am
Old unwise man
Anonymous
September 13, 2018 at 6:57 am
Good morning, Chief Clark!! Pls tell/show us who really wants to RESTRUCTURE NIGERIA among them!
Anonymous
September 13, 2018 at 6:53 am
This is MISLEADING ~ BUHARI’S yes is NO, His no YES……..!!!!!!! VOTE him out ~ SIMPLE.
Anonymous
September 13, 2018 at 6:11 am
We dont trust them with their Restructuring people with empty promises
Anonymous
September 13, 2018 at 6:01 am
Slave grand father how far?
Anonymous
September 13, 2018 at 4:47 am
FOOL YOUR BRAIN IS ALREADY BLOCK
GO AND FINED YOUR WAY TO HELL.
COWARD BLIND MAN.
AFTER THOUSAND THEY KILLED YOUR PEOPLE.
YOU ARE NOT YET THINKING ABOUT YOUR OWN PEOPLE.
YOU WILL SUFFER SERIOUSLY BEFORE YOUR LAST DAY.
HOPE FOR BIAFRA.
SUPPORT BIAFRA
REFERENDUM.
Anonymous
September 13, 2018 at 4:13 am
Sycophant go strength to the point,this man is breathing from his anus ooh!
Anonymous
September 13, 2018 at 3:24 am
Buhari will be annoyed to hear this coming from Chief Clark.
Anonymous
September 13, 2018 at 3:24 am
Bingo
Anonymous
September 12, 2018 at 9:48 pm
How long shall this Fulani terrorist government last with their agent of terror apc Buhari lifeless president of Fulani headsmen terrorist group??
Anonymous
September 12, 2018 at 9:48 pm
Nigeria has expired and can only get worse and must be abolished now before its too late
Anonymous
September 12, 2018 at 8:51 pm
Volture
Anonymous
September 12, 2018 at 8:42 pm
leave abj and go to your village Clark or fire burn your village?
Anonymous
September 12, 2018 at 8:01 pm
Useless man
Anonymous
September 12, 2018 at 7:50 pm
Aboki can not give u restructure can’t u hear, Nnamdi kanu I stand wit because only biafra can save us
Anonymous
September 12, 2018 at 7:49 pm
Lol slave Clark ur a old man monkeys
Anonymous
September 12, 2018 at 7:40 pm
…and after voting Him, the restructuring end. My friend, we are not fools again. On referendum we stand
Anonymous
September 12, 2018 at 7:37 pm
Lol, search warrant