Former
President Olusegun Obsanjo on Saturday replied Ijaw leader, Edwin
Clark’s comment on him, saying his utterances showed it was time for him
(Clark) to retire from politics.
Obasanjo’s Chief of Staff, Mr. Victor Durodola, who responded to comments credited to Clark in newspapers online Publications accusing Obasanjo of sowing seeds of discord in the Peoples Democratic
Party, and urging him to retire, said it was Clark who needed to retire.
Among other things, Clark had said the
former President caused the current crisis in PDP by instigating
Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State and Governor Rotimi Amaechi of
Rivers State to contest the Presidency in 2015.
Durodola stated that all of Clark’s allegations were baseless since he failed to provide evidence to substantiate his claims.
He said, “Usually, Baba will not
dignify such a comment with a response. If he says somebody is
sponsoring Governor Rotimi Amaechi, what evidence has he provided? If
you have a son and he is not in good terms with your friend, will you
kill your son so that your friend will know that you are his friend?
That is not the way to live life. The best an elder can do is to try and
settle quarrels, if there are any. Remember he (Obasanjo) is an elder
statesman, a former President.
“Edwin Clark, you can see from all his
utterances that he is actually the one who should go and sit down. He
should not be involved in politics, he should be a leader. But if he is
involved in politics, that is okay for him. The fact is that there is
nothing he is saying now that he has not said before. Baba would
not join issues with someone like Edwin Clark; he wouldn’t. He ought to
have provided evidence, instead of making general pronouncements.”
Durodola added that Obasanjo believed
that democracy meant Amaechi, Lamido or any Nigerian, had the right to
contest any office they choose.
He said, “Are Lamido and Amaechi not
Nigerians? Are they not eligible? Is Clark himself not eligible? What is
wrong with somebody contesting? There is democracy. There should be no
seal. Whoever wants to contest should be free to contest. Let the
primary election determine who should be the candidate of the party.
Everybody should be free to contest, including Clark. He is an elder
statesman, he should know that this idea of because somebody is
interested in contesting, then he becomes an enemy, is not the way of
civilisation. Democracy means freedom for everybody.”
He insisted that contrary to popular opinion, Obasanjo and President Goodluck Jonathan were in good terms.
“Just to clarify things, Obasanjo is not
quarreling with Jonathan. They talk; they interact; they meet; they
travel together. The fact is that he (Obasanjo) likes to express
himself, and he believes in democracy,” he said.
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Clark & Obj shld not fight who shld & will retire first. Time will solve tnat for us because in 20yrs time those alive will know who blw clark & Baba retired(to the grave) first
ReplyDeleteClark & Obj shld not fight who shld & will retire first. Time will solve tnat for us because in 20yrs time those alive will know who blw clark & Baba retired(to the grave) first
ReplyDeleteIt suites Clarke, the tribalist old man
ReplyDeleteDavid Nna Amadi... The so call Ijaw Elder Edwin Clark is an expired horse wit expired ideology,ridduled wit religious & ethnic parochalism. His retirement wil cleanse d polity of ethnic antagonism.
ReplyDeleteWho is Edwin Clark?. Is he a goat or human being?. Baba should not join issue with him. They are d pple deceiving GEJ
ReplyDeleteNigeria is not own by one man. Enough of all this godfatherism. The old ones should go and sleep.
ReplyDeleteThe old ones should not and sleep let them participate in politics. After all, nigeria belongs to all of us. Let us learn how to tolerate one another. Live and let others live.
ReplyDelete