APC formed to install a northerner as president, no Buhari, no APC, Clark alleges

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By Henry Umoru

ABUJA- AHEAD of the Presidential and general elections slated for March 28 and April 11 respectively, former Federal Commissioner for Information and South South leader, Chief Edwin Clark claimed yesterday that the All Progressives Congress, APC was formed with the sole aim of installing a northerner as the president of the country.

Edwin Clark

Speaking yesterday when he received the leadership and members of the Yoruba Youth Council, Worldwide at his Asokoro residence, Abuja led by its National President, Comrade Eric Oluwole, Chief Clark who noted that APC would no longer function if its Presidential candidate was removed from the party, said, ” APC was formed to install a northerner as the president of Nigeria. You saw what happened at the Presidential primaries of the APC where Buhari emerged with very wide margin. Without Buhari, there will be no APC. ”

The Ijaw leader who took a swipe at the APC Presidential candidate, said that he was not fit to fight corruption‎ as he has been campaigning all around, said “Nigeria belong to all of us, no tribe has the monopoly of ruling us. Nobody is a second class citizen. We all are first class citizen of this country.”

While commending the youth organization, Clark who noted that it was the first time in the nation’s political history that a large youth organization such as YYC would identify with the government of the day, especially with someone who hails from the minority, said, “Nigerians will only allow a democratically elected President. Buhari in 1983 overthrew a democratically elected President, Alhaji Shehu Shagari because he got the wind that Shagari was going to hand over to a Southern President.

“Buhari lied over his certificate, even the picture on the certificate is older than the certificate. How can a person accused of perjury be talking about corruption.”

Earlier, President of Yoruba Youth Council, YYC, Eric Oluwole who disclosed that they were endorsing President Goodluck Jonathan’s re- election bid and prepared to work for his victory, said the council was fully committed to the return of Jonathan to Aso rock come May 29, adding, “The YYC‎ has endorsed Jonathan to return as President. We want continuity. We will not allow a 72 year old man to determine our lives for us.

Buhari

“There is no alternative among other contestants that is as genuine as Jonathan. His achievement in yoruba land is tremendous. Everyone can see d good work of Jonathan.

“The achievements of President Jonathan in Yoruba land has far out-shown that of any government in Nigeria since 1999 no matter the commitments of certain quarters to demystify these giant strides.”

The group continued, “Our visit here today is to acquaint you of our decision to declare full support for the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan and to mobilize all the Yoruba Youth throughout Nigeria, whose views and convictions go a long way in re- moulding public opinions.

Through thorough deliberations we resolved on the dire need to return President Goodluck Jonathan as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, because looking objectively as it is today, there are no alternative in all the contending Political parties that are as genuine and focused as President Goodluck Jonathan.

He may not be an example of perfection but he represents today the most available and well positioned messenger in protecting our long won democracy and all round economic advancement that Nigeria anticipate.

“The Achievements of President Goodluck Jonathan in Yoruba land has far out- shown that of any government in Nigeria since 1999 no matter the commitments of certain quarters to demystify these giant strides.

Looking at developments in Yorubaland alone aside enormous achievements all over the country. Lagos- Ibadan expressway which had always been a reason for complains in ages, now witnessing monumental reconstruction and expansion.

Benin-Ore-Shagamu expressway had never ‘witnessed this type of reconstruction since 1999. Apapa – Oshodi Expressway now has good Testimonies, Akure- llesha road in Ondo state, everyone can see the goodworks going on there.

In the power sector, we have seen the construction of new Power plants, viz-a-viz Omotosho and Olorunshogo phase 11, which are part of the 6 new generating Companies constructed by this administration, whatever is remaining with power is to perfect the transmission and distribution logistics with new private companies and there will no longer be power outages.

“The Yoruba Youth Council (YYC) Worldwide specially shows unreserved appreciation to the President Goodluck Jonathan for the ingenious approach to fighting unemployment which is NOT exclusive to Nigeria but world over.

With the advancement of Technologies that make large corporations to no longer need large army of workers. President Goodluck Jonathan had bravely encouraged our youth through creative industries, he approved a special support scheme for the creative industry and directed Nex-Im Bank to provide backing for the Industry.

“Many creative industries have benefitted from this initiative. The Jonathan Administration, through the Project Advancing Creativity and Technology (PACT) in Nollywood, has provided a N3 billion grant programme for Nollywood. In 2013, the fund supported capacity building and Illm production in the industry.

About 120,000 youth already employed so far in the SURE-P Program, about 4,000 Graduate Internship Scheme (GIS). Over 2,300 winners from SURE~P, these are all benefits to the Youth.

Mr President has proven himself beyond doubts as a good and sincere leader, in one of the meetings we had sometimes ago with our Afenifere leaders \ as YYC principal body in Yoruba land, the contents of the resolutions of the National Confab were discussed to details and we were able to see much clearly that as soon as we start implementing these resolutions, especially as we commence the second term dispensation of President Goodluck Jonathan, by Gods grace.

All the major challenges that confront this country will become history. We refer to Unemployment, Industrialization, power outages, more condusive environment for businesses to thrive, etc. We want to appreciate

“Mr President specially for the Egbin power plant that was inagaurated by him in Lagos at Ikorodu recently. Nothing less than over 8 millions of Yoruba youths will cast their votes for President Goodluck Jonathan.”

 

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APC formed to install a northerner as president, no Buhari, no APC, Clark alleges

See me as your father and release my son - Clark appeals to Kidnappers

Niger Delta leader and elder statesman, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, yesterday, begged kidnappers of his son, Ebikeme to release him.

Edwin Clark

Ebikeme was whisked away by unknown gunmen while inspecting the site of his father’s proposed University of Technology in Kiagbodo, Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State on Wednesday.

The kidnappers are reportedly demanding N50 million ransom before they could free him.

Reacting to the development, Clark said, “I am not surprised that the kidnapping took place because when your children start to steal and they are out of tune, out of direction and nobody controls them, the next thing is that they will go and steal from their father or their uncle and so on.”

Clark told Vanguard that the kidnappers should see him as their father and release his son.

“Kidnapping is not new to me, but I didn’t know it was going to affect me personally. I have been involved in rescuing people who had been kidnapped since 2003 as a result of the freedom fighters agitation to draw the attention of the world and Nigerians (to the problems in Niger Delta). They have been involved in the kidnapping of expatriates working for oil companies and, in many of these cases, we intervened; we spoke to our boys and they respected us and most of these expatriates were freed,” Clark said.

Speaking further, the visibly embittered Clark said, “I remember a particular case when some Indians and Americans were kidnapped. Most of the victims were working for Wilbros, one of the oil servicing companies based in Port Harcourt. I remember the freedom fighters around Escravos spoke about how their villages were bombed from the air, attacked from the seas and they said they kidnapped some of the expatriates in order to provide them cover and that actually stopped the bombing of the area. And I remember most of the expatriates were released to us, some, to me, in my house and so kidnapping of expatriates is not new to me.

“But after some time, kidnapping became a commercial venture whereby these boys, few of them, looking for money, decided to engage in kidnapping of human beings for monetary reasons. This also occurred in neighboring states like Abia, Imo and Anambra. They have this kidnapping in Rivers, Beyelsa, Delta and Akwa Ibom and sometimes in Edo and it was all for money.

“They were selfish young men, jobless young men who had nothing to do and they decided to kidnap human beings in order to make money.

“So I was not, therefore, surprised when some of these states like Edo and Bayelsa began to enact laws that made it a capital offence; I was not thinking that these boys, who know me as their father, will one day come to me. But I am not also surprised because when your children start to steal and they are out of tune, out of direction and nobody controls them, the next thing is that they will go and steal from their father or their uncle and so on.

“Nowadays, you will find that school children arrange for their fathers to be kidnapped, wives arrange for their husbands to be kidnapped mainly to make money.

“So this thing has become rampant and I am surprised that they came after my son. He is a chief in our community and a responsible man, a politician, a PDP man. He contested those days under the DPP, but has since come back to the PDP; he is the managing director of the family company. He is 44years old and a graduate of the University of Benin. He is married with four children.

“My only worry is that the children and the young wife are anxious to see their father.

“This is a criminal offence and I don’t have to keep it to myself. I reported (the matter) to law enforcement agents: the director general of the SSS and the commissioner of police in my state, and the governor who has been helpful. The waterways agency has also been told about it. Tompolo also got his gadgets and he is out combing everywhere.

“That very day, it was raining, that is why it was conducive for them to come with a small bus and my son was already in his car to drive back to Warri when they came in, they stopped him, dragged him down, knocked him on the head with the butt of the gun and took him away in his car.

“But on getting to the next village, my mother’s place, their car fell into a ditch by the bridge. So they jumped from the car into the boat leaving the car behind. But the car has been recovered by the police and the young man who was driving the car arrested by the police”.

He noted that there was a man who claimed to be part of the conspiracy to kidnap his son, but changed his mind. “So he came to Kiagbodo to inform my son to run away or get himself adequate security, but by the time he came to the village, he had been kidnapped,” Clark disclosed.

“So he too has been arrested by the police to help them in their investigation. The people who kidnapped Ebikeme are already known, but where they are and where they have taken him to, we don’t know; that is the position and we pray that he would be freed,” he stated.

“They are demanding for money. My appeal to them is that they should release him. We all cannot get jobs at the same time. Every effort is being made that everyone gets job and most of them are employed in the area in the jobs we are doing at home. The issue is that we haven’t got enough jobs to do. But some of them have become chronic kidnappers. There is nothing that could stop them. Armed robbery no longer pays as kidnapping because they get good money from kidnapping human beings,” he added.

See me as your father and release my son - Clark appeals to Kidnappers