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Tag: Edwin Clark

  • Acting President, Osinbajo congratulates Edwin Clark at 90

    Acting President, Osinbajo congratulates Edwin Clark at 90

    The Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has felicitated with former Federal Commissioner of Information and elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, on his 90th birthday, which comes up on May 25.

    Osinbajo, in a statement, joined family members, friends, colleagues and the entire Ijaw nation in commemorating the milestone in the life of the nationalist, whose “life reflects our collective and continuous efforts towards building a great nation’’.

    The statement was issued by the acting President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr Laolu Akande, on Wednesday in Abuja.

    Osinbajo saluted Clark’s unwavering patriotism and relentless pursuit of the unity of the country, particularly his maturity in speaking for the good of all Nigerians.

    He also commended him for promoting the South-South quest for a new developmental vision and supporting the cause of the poor and vulnerable.

    The acting president extolled the personal sacrifices and diplomatic shuttles of the great Nigerian leader, who worked relentlessly for the birth and sustenance of ECOWAS.

    He assured the nonagenarian that his labour of love for the South-South and the progress of the country would be remembered by many generations to come.

    He prayed that the “almighty God will grant the elder statesman longer life, good health and that as his days are so shall his wisdom, strength and favour be.’’

     

    NAN

     

  • Adeniyi’s Book: You lied to incite Nigerians against Jonathan, Ijaw leaders, Clark blasts Obasanjo

    Adeniyi’s Book: You lied to incite Nigerians against Jonathan, Ijaw leaders, Clark blasts Obasanjo

    Former Minister of Information and paramount Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark, on Wednesday, lambasted former President Olusegun Obasanjo for allegedly telling lies aimed at inciting Nigerians against former President Goodluck Jonathan and Ijaw leaders in general.

    Clark, stated this in an open letter addressed to Obasanjo, over his remarks in the recently published book titled “Against the Run of Play” by Olusegun Adeniyi.

    He said the former President’s narrations in Adeniyi’s new book were false and despicable especially as it concerns him and other Ijaw leaders.

    “For instance, some of the statements you made against me in your book “Under My Watch” were the same statements you repeated in Olusegun Adeniyi’s book which is an arrangement between the two of you to condemn the Ijaw and to incite other Nigerian leaders to disparage the Ijaw leaders particularly myself and the younger ones like Asari Dokubo whom you kept in prison for two years without trial until we begged you to release him,” he stated.

    He however challenged Obasanjo to tell Nigerians “… what do you really want from Jonathan and the Ijaw people? Most of the various issues you raised in collaboration with Olusegun Adeniyi’s book “Against the Run of Play” are mere re-visitation of the many things you did and failed to do in your eight years of mis-governance.”

    Clark also refuted Obasanjo’s claims that Jonathan was clannish and surrounded himself with his Ijaw kinsmen.

    This, he said, was one of the reasons he (Obasanjo) gave for not supporting Jonathan’s candidature in the 2015 Presidential Election.

    The Ijaw leader, who is also the leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, accused Obasanjo of being responsible for the travails the nation was currently going through.

    Clark said, “Another criticism you made against Jonathan was Jonathan’s way of handling Boko Haram and that Jonathan was not interested in accountability and that if Jonathan was therefore allowed to continue in 2015 it would no doubt damage the whole country.

    “And that Jonathan and his people turned Boko Haram into an industry for making money. I think this is very uncharitable…, you should name how Jonathan and his people turned Boko Haram into a money-making industry and who are his people that benefited from that industry?”