Edwin Clark, Ijaw leader and staunch ally of former President Goodluck Jonathan, on Wednesday declared that the former president lacked the political will to fight corruption.
He also said he was no longer a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and would not join the All Progressives Congress (APC), but would function as an elder statesman.
Clark declared support for President Muhammadu Buhari’s dual war on corruption and terror while receiving members of the Think Nigeria First Initiative (TNFI) in Abuja.
“Jonathan didn’t have the political will to fight corruption. He’s too much of a gentleman. Drivers of yesterday were living in palatial buildings now under his government. In advanced countries, when you are living above your means, people query you. That’s not so in Nigeria. Former governors and lawmakers are now asking for immunity,” he said.
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“Jonathan meant well for this country, but the willpower to fight corruption was not there.
“In an ideal society, when a man earns 20,000 as his monthly salary and all of a sudden he acquires something that is worth N100,000, he should be questioned, But here in Nigeria, immunity has covered those that should be questioned. That is not the kind of country that we want. Being a gentleman is not enough to govern this country.”
According to a statement by PRNigeria, Clark condemned the activities of the insurgent group, saying: “Boko Haram is a problem for all of us Nigerians and we must all fight it together”.
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On corruption, Clark declared: “The government has the right to investigate, prosecute and jail corrupt people whether they are Ijaw, Hausa, Fulani or Igbo… corruption is a monster that must be fought.
“Politicians are mostly the most corrupt people in Nigeria. That is why every governor wants to become a senator so that he will continue to enjoy immunity from probe and prosecution for corrupt practices.”
He also implored the president to implement the good programmes initiated by the past administration, adding that “it is not everything done by your opponent that is bad. Select the good ones and implement them and ignore the bad ones.”
Regarding quitting the PDP, Clark said: “I no longer belong to any political party. I am no more in PDP and won’t move to APC. As I almost clock my 90th birthday I will rather continue to advocate for better, peaceful and prosperous Nigeria and die gracefully on Nigerian soil.”
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While thanking the TNFI for their courtesy visit, Clark declared his support and encouraged the initiative to keep thinking Nigeria first, ahead of any personal, ethnic or political sentiment.
In his remarks, the director-general of the TNFI, Abubakr Tsani ,said the group was nonpartisan, non-religious, non-ethnic support organisation for just causes.
He said it was conceived to midwife sincere channels of reconciling Nigerians and Nigerian state with a view to protect strategic national values against inadvertent distortion of our values.
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1 comments
This is one of the shameless behaviors of man,had GEJ won the last election,His political and ethnic town’sman,Mr Clerk would not have been blowing hot and cold.Anyway,politicians should learn their lessons.