With 53 days to Nigeria’s general elections, a former federal commissioner of information during the military era, Mr. Edwin Clark, has endorsed the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi.
The endorsement came barely 48 hours after former President Olusegun Obasanjo endorsed the LP candidate in a message entitled ‘My appeal to all Nigerians particularly young Nigerians’ wherein he said inter alia that Obi has the edge over the other contestants in terms of “character, antecedent, their understanding, knowledge, discipline and vitality that they can bring to bear and the great efforts required to stay focused on the job particularly looking at where the country is today and with the experience on the job.”
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, Clark who is the leader of the Pan Niger Delta Elders’ Forum (PANDEF) said he chose Obi because of his (Obi’s) “commitment to restructuring and devolution of power” as well as his avowed resolve to promote harmony, peaceful coexistence amongst the states and constituent parts of the country.
He also said he had noted Obi’s commitment to making Nigeria more productive, using the rich resource endowment in every part of the country, curbing waste and fighting corruption, and creating jobs for the teeming youths through innovative initiative.
He further revealed that he was endeared to the LP candidate because of his pledge to embark on environmental justice as it relates to the clean-up of the Niger Delta’s polluted communities, which, despite being the nation’s milch cow have been neglected in the past 60.
He added that the outcome of PANDEF’s meeting with Obi in Bayelsa State was a pointer that he was committed to the south-south project.
“That the vision statement shared by his Excellency Peter Obi at the occasion, as it relates to making Nigeria more productive, using the rich resource endowment in every part of the country; curbing waste and fighting corruption; and creating jobs for our teeming youths through innovative initiatives is very commendable.
“That his restated commitment to restructuring and devolution of power will promote harmony and peaceful coexistence amongst the states and constituent parts of the country.
“That his vision for more equity and justice as it pertains to the south-south region, which in the past sixty years has produced much of the revenue for the national economy, but has been neglected with little impact in terms of infrastructure and social development, is convincing and commendable.
“Peter Obi’s commitment to environmental justice to the cleanup of the Niger Delta polluted communities is most welcomed, given that even the ongoing Ogoni clean-up has been rather slow.
“Also his commitment to inclusion of qualified persons from the Niger Delta in the national governance process in the government if elected into power is very reassuring.
“His commitment to reactivation of our ports, development of Blue economy and maritime sector and investment in gas sector, developing of modular refineries, are worthy of note.
“Taking all these factors into consideration, and putting His Excellency Peter Obi side by side with all other candidates being presented by other political parties, I am convinced beyond doubt, that our country Nigeria has a great opportunity to elect a phenomenal team, the candidate of the Labour Party, and his deputy, senator Datti Baba-Ahmad, as president and vice-president respectively.
“I formally hereby announce that I will, therefore, personally, vote for HE Peter Obi and his vice presidential candidate on election day, February 25th, 2023, as president and vice-president of the federal republic of Nigeria,” he said.
Besides, he said had requested the leadership of PANDEF “as a democratic institution and all the other socio-cultural and political bodies which I head to consult with their members at the levels of states, local government and diaspora to take further steps in supporting my choice of Peter Obi.
“I also call on all well Nigerians irrespective of ethnic, religious and even political backgrounds to vote for H.E. Peter Obi without hesitation, as he is our best hope of a new Nigeria of peace, stability and progress.
He further said: “Nigeria must remain a country where all citizens should be given free and unfettered opportunities for national service, even at the level of the highest office, being the presidency of our land. Nigerians should be first class citizens in this country, all Nigerians must be treated equitable and fairly.
“Nigeria must be a country where her citizens have the right to hold free, fair and credible elections devoid of big money and any form of intimidation, undue influence and compromises.”
