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By Amos Odhe, Yenagoa
Project Niger Delta, PND, a socio-political and group has berated acclaimed Ijaw leader, Pa Edwin Clark over his charge to members of the Ijaw Publishers Forum to protect the interests of the coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, PAP, Dr. Dennis Otuaro.
According to the group, the comments by Clark regarding the appointment of PAP boss should be ignored, as they do not reflect the aspirations of the Ijaw people, adding that “he should understand the concerns regarding the appointment of Dr. Otuaro if he is an Ijaw elder statesman.”
In a statement, Comrade Princewill Timipre Ebebi, Executive Director/Coordinator of Project Niger Delta, said Clark’s call for the media (IPF) “to support, protect, and defend Dr. Otuaro is an attempt to undermine media freedom and possibly influence the office to send students on scholarship to his university.”
Ebebi claimed that it is public knowledge that Dr. Otuaro’s appointment “did not follow due process,” adding that this is “the reason he is helpless and seeking help from all nooks and crannies in the Niger Delta region and beyond.”
He said: “The leadership of Project Niger Delta (PND) with other critical stakeholders in the Niger Delta region unequivocally condemn and strongly reject the recent call made by elder statesman and patriarch of the Ijaw ethnic nationality, Pa Edwin K. Clark in its entirety by calling on Ijaw Publishers Forum (IPF) to protect and defend the Administrator of Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Dr Dennis Otuaro over his appointment, which we see as coming through the back door.
“Pa Edwin K. Clark’s statement is never to be taken serious because it is a “sheer betrayal and abuse of trust” by the Ijaw nationality on him for supporting what he fully knows that the appointment of Otuaro is not done rightly rather he chose to throw caution to the wind by calling for support by the aforementioned group.
“This is so ‘belittling of his respect’ and honour the Ijaws gave him as elder statesman and patriarch but he has lost that respect amongst his kinsmen and the entire Niger Delta region because of his self-centered thinking, therefore, he has corroded the high regard the Ijaws have for him by supporting Otuaro who was never the person the Ijaws wanted to occupy that position because he is not for the interest of the people not to really serve the people of the region but his paymaster.
“It is a well known fact that Pa Edwin K. Clark who severed as Federal Commissioner for Information in 1975, he claimed to be from Urhobo ethnic nationality but when things went down he chose to be from Ijaw nationality, he has not really demonstrated integrity in his words and actions, especially in this matter of Otuaro’s appointment that the entire people in the region reject.”
The group therefore called on Pa Clark to withdraw his call for supporting his special candidate forthwith, noting that “the appointment and supervision to man the PAP office falls under the office of the National Security Adviser, moreso, as it is only Mr. President that has the prerogative right to appoints whosoever he deemed fit.
“Pa Clark should note that we are not slaves to him and those he is giving special preference in sharing our collective blessings over the years. That we can no longer tolerate allocating our blessings to certain quarters in the Ijaw Nation.
“Pa. Clark and his cohorts should note that the entire Ijaw people know their antics which they have turn the Ijaw struggle for their selfish gains. It has been observed over the years that whenever there is struggle, they will preach Ijaw people are one, but whenever there come benefits only.
“Pa Clark and his cohorts shared our blessings thereby merchandizing the destinies of the Ijaw people. Henceforth, we say no to nepotism practice by Pa. Edwin K. Clark and his cohorts.
“From the foregoing, it is imperative to note Pa. Edwin K. Clark and his cohorts submission on protect, defend Dr. Dennis Otuaro’s mandate as Presidential Amnesty Programme is brought over outcry and not a submitted opinion of the suffering majority of the Ijaw people in Delta State and beyond including the Ijaw National Congress and Ijaw Youth Council. We therefore, appeal to Mr. President and the National Security Adviser to sack Dr. Dennis Otuaro for security concern,” Ebebi said.
Our correspondent could not get a response from Chief Edwin Clark’s media aide as of press time.
