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Tag: Edwin Clark

  • 1927-2025: “A powerful bridge-builder has left us’ -Jonathan mourns Clark

    1927-2025: “A powerful bridge-builder has left us’ -Jonathan mourns Clark

    Former President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has expressed deep sadness over the death of elder statesman, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, who passed on to eternal glory on Monday at the age of 97 years.

    Dr. Jonathan described the late nonagenarian as a father figure, peerless icon and a relentless crusader for justice who devoted his life to the betterment of our society.

    In a condolence message to his immediate family, the former President also noted that late Chief Clark was a bridge-builder, and a patriot, stressing that he inspired different generations of leaders including himself.

    It is with a heavy heart that I extend my deepest condolences to the immediate family, friends, and associates of the revered elder statesman, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, who has passed on to eternal glory. Chief E.K. Clark was not just a father figure to me but a peerless icon of Nigeria’s political landscape, a voice of reason, and a relentless advocate for justice, equity, and unity.

    His was a life of selfless service, unwavering courage, and an unyielding commitment to the development of the Niger Delta region and Nigeria as a whole. His wisdom, foresight, and dedication to the principles of fairness and good governance inspired generations of leaders, including myself.

    It is with a heavy heart that I extend my deepest condolences to the immediate family, friends, and associates of the revered elder statesman, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, who has passed on to eternal glory. Chief E.K. Clark was not just a father figure to me but a peerless icon of Nigeria’s political landscape, a voice of reason, and a relentless advocate for justice, equity, and unity.

    His was a life of selfless service, unwavering courage, and an unyielding commitment to the development of the Niger Delta region and Nigeria as a whole. His wisdom, foresight, and dedication to the principles of fairness and good governance inspired generations of leaders, including myself.

  • Nigeria Governors’ Forum mourn statesmen, Adebanjo, Clark

    Nigeria Governors’ Forum mourn statesmen, Adebanjo, Clark

    The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has condoled with the families of two prominent Nigerians and elder statesmen, Pa Ayo Adebanjo and Chief Edwin Clark, who recently passed on.

    The forum, in a statement signed in Ilorin on Tuesday by the Chief Press Secretary to Kwara Governor, Rafiu Ajakaye, said their deaths had depleted the rank of national outstanding voices.

    According to the statement, the two were never afraid to offer their views on issues of national importance.

    The forum recalled that the duo played critical roles in the evolution of the country’s democracy, constitutional development, and the discourse around its federal system vis-a-vis topical issues of resource control and the rights of ethnic minorities.

    It extended its heartfelt condolences to the people and governments of South-West and South-South, especially Ogun and Delta States, and the families of the statesmen on these developments.

    The forum prayed for the repose of their souls, saying their legacies would endure for generations yet unborn.

    Recall that Adebanjo died at his Lekki residence on Friday at the age of 96, while Clark died on Monday at the age of 97.

  • EK Clark was a titan among men – Omo-Agege

    EK Clark was a titan among men – Omo-Agege

    Deputy Senate President in the 9th assembly, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, has described the passing of Chief E. K. Clark, as the end of an eventful era characterised by the distinguished role of some leaders who fought assiduously for the building of a Nigeria anchored on justice, fair play, equity and true federalism.

    Reacting to the demise of the elder statesman, Omo-Agege said his life was a testimony to courage.
    He said: “I received the news of the passing of our foremost leader and patron of Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, Chief E.K Clark, with profound pain and sorrow. Nigeria, nay, the Niger Delta has lost a leader whose voice for the good of all transcends boundaries, a bridge builder across political lines who struggled for the enthronement of a just and egalitarian society.

    “Daddy’s principled voice, especially for the emancipation of the Niger Delta, will be deeply missed. A nationalist par excellence, we will miss his interventions and activism which have greatly enriched our political landscape and provided a well trodden path for future generations.

    “Though we mourn his departure at the ripe age of 97, we wish that he stayed more for us to be continued to be guided by his vibrant and genuine intentions as we forge our democratic tendencies.

    “He never wavered in his commitment to justice, especially the justice denied the people of Niger Delta when successive governments exploited crude oil, with only a class of people and areas overwhelmingly arrogating the resources to themselves while the Niger Delta was left in ruins through environmental degradation.

    “Despite the injustice meted out to his people, Daddy Clark loved Nigeria and put her first. He only wanted fair treatment for the Niger Delta within a true federal system”, the former Deputy Senate President said, adding, “He was father to us all and continued to espouse the principles he held dearly.”

    “According to the family, Daddy transitioned peacefully yesterday, May his soul rest in peace and may the Almighty God grant his nuclear and extended family the fortitude to deal with this irreparable loss. Amen.

  • 1927-2025: How Clark used his daughter as guinea pig to foster reconciliation with the East after civil war-Gowon

    1927-2025: How Clark used his daughter as guinea pig to foster reconciliation with the East after civil war-Gowon

    True nationalist, these are the two words that aptly captured nationalism that the late Chief EK Clark displayed when he used his first daughter, Elizabeth as guinea pig by enrolling her in Queens College Enugu shortly after the civil war that ravaged the entire South East.

    Clark did not stop there, he reconstructed schools and supplied furniture to schools that students were attending classes sitting on bare floors.

    Former Head of State Yakubu Gowon during Clark’s book launch in 2023, simply titled: ‘Brutally Frabk’, gave a vivid picture of the real Chief EK Clark. At a time when nobody from the other zones can dare sending their kids to war torn East, Clark offered his first daughter as guinea pig.

    Hear him:

    Principal among this being the fact that as erstwhile Commissioner for Education in the Mid-West State, he had gone ahead without pressure but with encouragement from me, Governor Ogbemudia and the Federal Government in initiating reconciliation with the war ravaged states of the East Central and its people at the time.

    “As a matter of fact, he went to the extent of using his first daughter, now Mrs. Rebecca Okorodudu, who was a teenager in one of the best schools in Mid West at the time as a kind of guinea pig, moving her to Queen’s School, Enugu, which had great impact from the unfortunate years of conflict

    “As if that was not enough, he also extended a hand of solidarity to the northern states by sending hundreds of science teachers to various parts of the northern states from the Mid-West and also attracted some of their young persons and gave them places in the best schools in his home state.

    “There was no better Nigerian for the job of information minister at that time when we needed to show our warmness and empathy for one another as a people. He did the same for the East-Central States, sending help to the university and other institutions in the war affected areas.

    “The need to fill in the void created by Chief Enahoro’s exit was what gave E.K. the job of minister in the government which I headed.

    “He became my confidant and the voice of the government, fearlessly defending the government and projecting its image. I found comfort in discussing government and other issues with E.K., most amicably at all times.

  • No basis for scrapping Niger Delta ministry – Edwin Clark kicks

    No basis for scrapping Niger Delta ministry – Edwin Clark kicks

    Frontline Niger Delta leader, Chief Edwin Clark, has faulted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision for scrapping the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.

    Recall that President Tinubu and the Federal Executive Council, FEC, announced the scrapping of the Niger Delta Ministry and the Ministry of Sports Development.

    A tweet by the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to the President, Bayo Onanuga, on Wednesday said the decision was reached during FEC meeting.

    Reacting to the development, the elder statesman, who noted that there was no basis for the scrapping of the ministry, accused the federal government of plans to use the money from the South-South geopolitical zone to develop the various development commissions of other geopolitical zones that have been established.

    He said President Tinubu has no good plans for the people of the Niger Delta, just as he said that the late President Umaru Yar’Adua created the ministry for the development of the zone and to ensure permanent peace as well as to nip in the bud cases of pipeline vandalisation.

    Clark, the leader of the Southern and Middle-Belt Leaders Forum, SMBLF, said he received the news as a surprise.

    “What I have noted so far is that there is no basis for scrapping it. Yar’Adua had a clear purpose to address the security situation in the Niger Delta, which led to the creation of the ministry to focus on the development of that area. We have been working for some time now, managing our commissions,” he said.

  • Rivers group sends stern warning to Wike’s loyalist over Clark comments

    Rivers group sends stern warning to Wike’s loyalist over Clark comments

    A Pan Rivers group known as One Rivers Initiative (ORI) has urged Mr Chidi Lloyd, one of the recently sacked chairmen of Local Government Areas in Rivers against disrespecting Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark. The group said this in a statement signed by Mr Victor Burubo, its Director, Media and Publicity on Monday in Abuja.

    Lloyd, a loyalist of FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike, is one of the recently removed Local Government Chairmen in Rivers. Their political bloc is in a face-off with Gov. Siminalayi Fubara. Burubo said the group noted with a sense of outrage the attempts by Lloyd to discredit Fubara after Clark condemned Wike’s threats to distabilise states whose governors support Fubara.

    “The ORI condemns this irreverent and crude insults directed at the person of Chief E.K Clark. No sane person with solid African parentage will resort to such rude and reckless verbal attacks on a man like Clark, who is 96 years old, and has served Nigeria creditably for many decades’’, he said.

    Lloyd, a loyal of FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, while reacting to Clark’s letter to the I-G against his principal said Clark flayed Fubara’s candidature during the primaries because he was not a true Ijaw man.

    “He should be in his village and not in Abuja. We have restrained ourselves from talking to an old man. To set the record straight, if Edwin Clark is truly who he thinks he is, he should be living in his village in Kiagbodo.

    “He is one reason why the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has not achieved anything since inception because he sees it as his personal estate. Clark is still under the megalomania of thinking that he is the Asiwaju of the Niger Delta.

    “At this age, Clark should be reconciling with those he has hurt. He should leave Wike alone,”Lloyd, who was fired by Fubara as the chairman of Emohua Local Government Area, said

  • Photo story: Edwin Clark spends time with children, grandchildren in London [Photos]

    Photo story: Edwin Clark spends time with children, grandchildren in London [Photos]

    Photos of the nonagenarian leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Edwin Clark spending some quality time with his offspring in London, United Kingdom, have emerged.

    The 97-year-old elder Stateman was surprised by his offspring, spanning four generations.

    Below are photos from the gathering;

  • Oborevwori hails elder statesman, Edwin Clark, at 97

    Oborevwori hails elder statesman, Edwin Clark, at 97

    Delta State Governor, Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, has congratulated Ijaw National leader and renowned elder statesman, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, on his 97th birth anniversary.

    The Governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Sir Festus Ahon, in Asaba, praised the statesman for his dedication to the advancement of the Niger Delta and Nigeria.

    Governor Oborevwori stated that leaders, at the National and sub-National levels, had continued to benefit from Chief Clark’s astute advice on matters pertaining to the Country and the Niger Delta.

    According to the Governor, “It is really admirable how much Chief Clark contributed to the resolution of conflicts in the Niger Delta,” adding that the people of the region and the Country would remain thankful to the elder statesman.

    He said that Pa Clark was still a tenacious and ardent nationalist, with legendary zeal for his people’s interests and the peaceful coexistence of Nigerians.

    “On behalf of the Government and people of Delta, I heartily rejoice with our father and leader, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, on the occasion of his 97th birth anniversary.

    “I join your family and your global admirers in commemorating 97 years of outstanding achievements and enduring fulfilment,” he said.

  • E. K. Clark writes IGP over renewed threat to impeach Gov Fubara

    E. K. Clark writes IGP over renewed threat to impeach Gov Fubara

    Elder statesman Edwin Clark has said the renewed threat of impeachment against Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara may lead to breakdown of law and order in the State.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Pa Clark said this in a letter addressed to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun on Tuesday.

    Clark in the letter stressed that the threat to impeach Governor Fubara might cause a breakdown of law and order and that the consequences will not only affect Rivers State, but will also affect the Niger Delta and Nigeria at large.

    The elder statesman noted that IGP Egbetokun has a duty to stop the fraudulent former Members of the Rivers State House of Assembly from parading themselves and issuing provocative statements to intimidate and increase tension in Rivers State, which he said may one day burst into open conflagration.

    The letter reads in full below:

    THE THREAT BY THE FORMER RIVERS STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY MEMBERS TO IMPEACH THE POPULARLY ELECTED GOVERNOR OF RIVERS STATE, SIR SIMINALAYI FUBARA IS AN ACTION THAT IS LIKELY TO CAUSE BREACH OF PEACE AND BREAKDOWN OF LAW AND ORDER IN RIVERS STATE.

    My dear IGP,

    Firstly, I wish to apologize for addressing this letter to you because we have never met and we have never spoken to each other since your appointment as the Inspector General of Police of the Federal Republic of Nigeria but I have watched your activities with kin interest and great satisfaction. Please accept my belated heartfelt congratulation on your appointment as the Inspector General of Police whereby you have taken over effectively and I hope you will perform your duties impeccably, fair and just and without any discrimination, political victimisation or witch-hunting of political opponents and have the courage and ability to confront the so called sacred cows in our society.

    2. I have decided to address this letter to you as a senior citizen and Elder Statesman and I have served my country for over 70 years and I will be 97 on the 25th of May. It is therefore my duty to pray to the almighty God at all times for the peace and stability of our great country. We owe it as an obligation to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government which will be one year on the 29th of May. We must therefore condemn and prevent any action by any individual or group of individuals that would threaten the peace, stability and unity of this country. We have no other country to go to if there is any uncontrollable crisis in the country and this is the main reason why I have been involved in the looming crisis in Rivers State between the former Governor Barr Nyesom Wike who is now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and the current Governor, His Excellency, Siminalayi Fubara which is spreading like wildfire and every attempt by Mr President to resolve it amicably has not succeeded.

    I am the leader of the South-South Geopolitical zone and leader of Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF). I am from Delta State. As a father, it is therefore my duty to see that the people of South-South and other Nigerians live in peace and harmony. I believe in justice, fairplay and equity, irrespective of whose ox is gored.

    3. I have been involved in Rivers State affairs since 1951, before the creation of Rivers State and more actively in May 1967 when Rivers State was created with eleven (11) other states and when the Biafran forces occupied Rivers State and Mid-West State in the same year. Sadly, I also vividly remember the emotional moment when two UK trained University lecturers named Dr. Boardman Nyanayo and George Amangala, came to my residence at No. 16, Robert Road, Warri, to inform me that they had resigned from their positions as lecturers at the Federal Government College, Warri, in order to join the Nigerian army to fight for the liberation of the newly created Rivers State, which was occupied by Biafran forces at the time and that they have come to seek for my blessings and I did. Indeed, the liberation of Rivers State, by joining Major Isaac Adaka Boro and other Ijaw fighters, these young men formed a very formidable force. Time and space will not allow me here to tell the story of these gallant men, who unfortunately, all of them, numbering over 140, lost their lives. The only surviving leader was Captain Sam Owonaro, who was left with the scars of the war and remained in a wheelchair until his demise in his home town in Kiama in Bayelsa State in 2020.

    It is indeed very provocative and insulting that Mr Nyesom Wike the FCT Minister who is the mastermind of the issues bedevilling Rivers State and who was born on the 13th of December 1967 after these two events should accuse his fathers and leaders like me of being interlopers, daring to challenge his leadership of Rivers State politics.

    4. Fubara-Wike feud

    Mr Wike helped Mr Fubara to become Governor of Rivers, but the duo parted ways because of the Minister’s ambition to control the politics and governance in the state.

    The crisis deteriorated, prompting President Bola Tinubu to midwife a controversial peace deal between Messrs Wike and Fubara, after the seats of 27 pro-Wike lawmakers in the Rivers House of Assembly were declared vacant following their defection to the APC.

    But despite the peace deal, the feud between the two former allies – Mr Wike and Fubara – has persisted.

    Nyesom Wike should therefore stop making noise about the sponsorship of Sim Fubara because he knew the reasons he supported Sim Fubara to become the Governor of Rivers State to automatically centre immunity on the Governor so therefore he will not be available for questioning as a prosecution witness by EFCC against Mr Nyesom Wike.

    IMPEACHMENT

    Why Nyesom Wike decided to impeach his boy in favour of the former Speaker Martins Amaewhule his kith and kin from his home?

    On Saturday 28th October, 2023, Nyesom Wike held a meeting with the former Rivers State House of Assembly members who are under his control and directed them to move a motion of impeachment against the Governor, on Monday 30th October, 2023 at an ungodly hour at about 7am. The members, about 23 of them signed the impeachment motion. These same members led by the Speaker of the House, Martins Amaewhule, assembled at the same venue on Monday 11th December, 2023 where they declared for APC singing APC song and waiving APC flag. The other faction led by Edison Ehie, the leader of the House, the Speaker of the House remained legitimate members of the House while the other members automatically lost their seat in accordance with Section 109(1g) 2 of the 1999 Constitution as amended because there was no split in the PDP as defined by the Supreme Court of Nigeria in these judgements.

    5. Mr Nyesom Wike has been involved in politics of madness while also parading himself as a senior PDP member and fighting his rival at the PDP primaries, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. To confirm his claims that he is still a member of PDP in Rivers State; he mobilized supporters for the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting which held on Thursday, 18th of April 2024 at the PDP Secretariat in Abuja and he, Wike attended the NEC meeting from beginning to the end. The report is available in the media. His Excellency, the Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara was also present at the meetings.

    THE CONTINUOUS PROVOCATIVE STATEMENTS AND ACTIONS BY CHIEF NYESOM WIKE AND THE 27 FORMER MEMBERS OF THE RIVERS STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY.

    The recent unprovoked announcement by the Speaker and 26 former Members of the Rivers State House of Assembly might cause a breakdown of law and order in Rivers State and the consequences of such crisis will not only affect Rivers State politically, socially and economically but will also affect the Niger Delta and Nigeria at large. We have enough of such crises of all dimensions in nearly all parts of this country already and we therefore prevent any more of such crises. I had earlier advised and appealed to our President, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu to call his Minister Nyesom Wike to order to avoid this looming crisis and that the interest of the entire country should supersede the interest of an individual or a small group of people otherwise the consequences will be disastrous.

    It is in this spirit I am addressing this letter to you as the Inspector General of Police who is in charge of the peace and stability of this country. You are therefore fully aware of the dangerous precarious situation we are facing today in this country whereby the people are no longer safe to move around, to go to their farms to feed themselves; I seriously warn that if the sanctity of the country’s constitution is not obeyed by its citizens, the consequences that will follow will be anarchy.

    The 27 former Members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have automatically forfeited their seats in accordance with section 109 (1g) 2 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, which states; “g, being a person whose election to the House of Assembly was sponsored by a political party, he becomes a member of another part before the expiration of the period for which that House was elected; 2, The Speaker of the House of Assembly shall give effect to subsection (1) of this section, so however that the Speaker or a member shall first present evidence satisfactory to the House that any of the provisions of that subsection has become applicable in respect of the member.”

    Above all, section 1 of our Supreme Law i.e the Constitution states, “sub1, This Constitution is supreme and its provisions shall have binding force on all authorities and persons throughout the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.

    It will therefore be madness and suicidal for any responsible and patriotic Nigerian to breach the Constitution of Nigeria.

    At this juncture, It may also be necessary to cite a publication in The Guardian dated 18th April 2015; a case where a Member of the House of Representatives elected on the platform of the Labour Party defected to ACN; in fact Ifedayo Abegunde was the one who went to Akure High Court to challenge the constitutional position and lost; he appealed to the Court of Appeal and also lost, then he appealed again to the Supreme Court of Nigeria where his case was finally rejected and he lost his seat in the House of Representatives. Justice Musa Muhammad cited previous decisions by the Supreme Court in FEDECO vs Goni and Attorney General of the Federation vs Abubakar. He held that “The principles enunciated by this court in the two cases – FEDECO vs Goni and Attorney General of the Federation vs Abubakar supra- is to the effect that only such fractionalisation, fragmentation, splintering or ‘division’ that makes it impossible or impracticable for a particular party to function, as such will, by virtue of the proviso to section 68 (1) (g), justify a person’s defection to another party and the retention of his seat for the unexpired term in the House, in spite of the defection. “Otherwise, has rightly held by the courts below, the defector automatically loses his seat.”

    “Justice Muhammad explained that by virtue of the combined provisions of section 68(a) and (g), as well as Section 222(a), (e) and (f) of the constitution, division in a party at the state level did not entitle a legislator to abandon the party on which platform he or she contested and won his or her seat.”

    You have a duty therefore to stop these fraudulent former Members of the Rivers State House of Assembly from parading themselves and issuing provocative statements to intimidate and increase tension in Rivers State which may one day burst into open conflagration.

    You also have a duty to protect the constitution of Nigeria without which there will be no Nigeria.

    Mr Inspector General of Police, it is even more disturbing that these former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly are carrying out their illegal activities under the cover of policemen in uniform on whom rest a primary duty to enforce the law. This must be very disturbing to you as it is to all responsible Nigerians.

    Finally, I sincerely appeal to you to use your office as head of the Law enforcement arm of the country to advise Mr President and other members of the National Security Council of which you are the center, to bring this show of shame to an end and spare Nigeria from being a laughing stock to the entire world. This is more so as Mr President and all of you swore to protect and defend the constitution of Nigeria, which now appears to be overlooked despite the glaring infringement being openly carried out in favour of one individual and his followers.

    I have taken the liberty to send copies of this letter to other security Chiefs including, National Security Adviser, Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Air Staff, Chief of Naval Staff, Director General Department of State Services (DG DSS), Director General National Intelligence Agency (DG NIA) and Director Military Intelligence (DMI).

    Be assured that, I will continue to pray for you as a father that God will give you the wisdom and courage to carry out the duties of your office and God will continue to protect you and all the men of the Nigerian Police Force.

    Thank you and God Bless.

    CHIEF Dr Edwin .K. Clark OFR,CON

    Leader Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF)

    Former Minister of Information and

    Senator of the 2nd Republic.

  • Your government was marred with killings, corruption – Edwin Clark knocks Yahaya Bello

    Your government was marred with killings, corruption – Edwin Clark knocks Yahaya Bello

    Elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark has advised the former Kogi state Governor, Yahaya Bello to give himself up to the authorities.

    According to Clark who is the leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, (PANDEF), said Bello’s time as governor of Kogi state was marred with corruption and political killings.

    The elder statesman who appeared on Arise Television on Thursday, said the former Governor was just being stubborn after putting up rough governance.

    Clark Said “Yahaya Bello is just being stubborn. He has been living very very rough…having a very rough government, corruption, killing of people in the place during elections and so on,”

    “There’s time for everything and it has come for him to answer questions. He should go to court. He should go to court to answer the substance of the case, where did he get the money from?

    “Is it true or not that the money he paid to the American school belongs to him or belongs to the government of Kogi State?

    “The behaviour of the new Governor shows Yahaya Bello is in power for the third time. Ahmed Ododo is just running after him.

    “I just want to plead with Ododo to do the needful so that the youth in this country will have something to fall upon.”