On Peter Obi Presidency We Stand – Southern, Middle Belt Leaders Declare

• Clark says Okowa betrayed his people, Southern Govs 

BY EDMOND ODOK – For the umpteenth time, Leaders of thoughts and elder statesmen from four of the six geo-political zones of the country have endorsed the Labour Party (LP) Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi as its candidate for the February 25 Presidential election.

This is as the elder statesman and First Republic Federal Commissioner for Information, Chief Edwin Clark, on Thursday insisted that Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State betrayed the South and will not succeed in his selfish ambition of becoming Nigeria’s next Vice president.

Rising from their extraordinary meeting in Abuja under the umbrella of Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) led by South-South Leader, Chief Edwin Clark, the Leaders said there was no going back on their early decision that the presidency must return to the South after eight years of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

Immediate past President General of the umbrella body of Ndigbo Worldwide, the Ohanaeze, Chief John Nnia Nwodo read the SMBLF’s communique as agreed by all its component units comprising the Middle-Belt Forum, Ndi-Igbo (Ohanaeze), Afenifere, and Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF).

Meanwhile, Elder statesman and First Republic Federal Commissioner for Information, Chief Edwin Clark, has again berated the Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa for allowing his selfish ambition of being the nation’s next Vice President to becloud his sense of patriotism and loyalty to the collective agreement of the Southern people.

Delivering the hard punch in an open letter to Okowa, who is the running mate to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, Chief Clark said the Delta Governor must apologise to his colleagues in both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the PDP over his decision to serve as Atiku’s vice against their agreed position.

Clark’s letter dated February 2, 2023, with the title; “Your dictatorial government and the reign of unaccountability in Delta State” which was distributed to journalists in Abuja, also gave Okowa between now and May 29 to give an account of the N250 billion 13 percent derivation fund which he allegedly collected from the Federal Government as revealed by Governor Nyesom Wike of River State or face court action.

Accusing the governor of betraying governors from the southern part of the country by accepting to serve as Atiku’s running mate, the Elder statesman further said; “Today, I say with certainty that you are more dictatorial than any other military administrator that has administered Delta State since its creation in 1991.

“I can therefore understand why you have deliberately and immorally betrayed your colleagues of Southern Nigeria and the people for your selfish ambition by wanting to land on safer ground by accepting to serve as running mate to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

“No, by God’s grace, your prayer will not be answered. Perhaps, you have forgotten the gravity of the offence you have committed against the people of Southern Nigeria.”

Chief Clark, who also accused Governor Okowa of directing all Delta State delegates to vote for Atiku during the PDP presidential primaries last year instead of Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike or his Akwa Ibom State counterpart, Governor Udom Emmanuel, said; “However, the Southern and Middle-Belt Leaders Forum have resolved to oppose your joint candidature with Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and this we will continue to do until election day”.

Gov Okowa Kicks, Tells Clark You’re Not God 

Reacting to the latest position of the SMBLF and Chief Clark’s letter, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa said no one can take the place of God to decide what happens in the forthcoming elections.

Okowa, who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Olise Ifeajika, said; “If Clark thinks he can take the place of God, we will know whose prayer God will answer. Is Clark still in the PDP? What was his role when the PDP decided to throw open the presidential ticket?

“The PDP in its wisdom said it will not zone to anywhere, according to Ortom-led committee, and that was why Peter Obi left the party because Obi thought the ticket will be zoned to the South-East.

“By God’s grace, Atiku/Okowa will be in government come May 29, 2023. Okowa never betrayed anybody, he sticks to the party’s decision to throw its ticket open.”

Addressing the contentious issue of 13 percent derivation, Ifeajika said the State Commissioner for Finance, Mr Fidelis Tilije, had earlier explained how the State government is spending every Kobo that accrued to the state.

The Media aide further stated that the Governor Okowa-led government had been transparent in managing the finances and resources of Delta State.