The Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), has asked Ifeanyi Okowa,
governor of Delta, to retract his “attacks” on Edwin Clark, the Ijaw national
leader, within 48 hours.
Clark, in a recent letter to Okowa, alleged that the 13
percent derivation funds received by the state government were mismanaged.
The elder statesman, who described Okowa’s administration as
a “reign of unaccountability”, asked the governor to step down as the running
mate of Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP).
Clark said the nomination of Okowa as Atiku’s running mate
is in breach of the agreement reached by stakeholders and governors in the
south that the presidency should be zoned to the region.
In his response to Clark’s letter, Okowa said there was so
much “falsehood” in the elder statesman’s claims and that the expectation from
a senior citizen should be actions that can unite the nation.
In a statement, on Sunday, Ken Robinson, PANDEF
spokesperson, said Okowa should answer the queries raised by Clark and not
“sink deeper into the pit”.
“PANDEF, thus, finds it stunning that less than 24 hours
after Chief Clark wrote an open letter to the governor, raising various
troubling issues, Ifeanyi Okowa has been quick to reply him; avoiding answers
to the veracity of the issues raised, but dwelling on the towering image,
integrity and personality of this great national icon,” PANDEF said.
“As a regional body
that represents the interests of the people of the entire Niger Delta, PANDEF
is compelled to note that the responses on the matter by Okowa’s commissioner
for information, Charles Aniagwu, is thoughtless and disingenuous.
“For the purpose of correcting Okowa’s messengers, and to
set the records right for future generations, it is necessary to remind Okowa
and his aides of some facts.
“Without doubt, there is no other Nigerian, living or dead,
who has played roles to unify this country as Chief E. K. Clark has done. For
over 70 years, the respected national leader has continued to play overriding
nationalistic roles which was acknowledged, perhaps unintended, in the
commissioner’s response to the chief’s letter.
“Our least expectation was that His Excellency would provide
answers to the questions posed. Because the funds that come to Delta state are
for the people of the state, thus, the demand for accountability and
transparency must not be trivialised or ignored but should be answered
correctly, especially for a man who dreams to become the vice president of
Nigeria.
“Governor Okowa
should also note the other critical issues cited in our father’s letter to him,
including the question of how he emerged as vice presidential candidate to the
PDP presidential flag bearer, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
“Nonetheless, PANDEF gives Ifeanyi Okowa, 48 hours to
retract and withdraw his attacks on Clark in his interest.”
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