The Pan Niger Delta Forum yesterday reprimanded the Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa over his comments on the allegations by an elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, that the state, from 2015 to date, mismanaged N250bn oil derivation funds it collected from the federation account.
Clark had last Thursday alleged that the Okowa’s administration could not account for the N250bn 13 per cent oil derivation paid to the state so far by the President Muhammadu Buhari’s government.
He equally accused the Governor of allegedly betraying his colleagues by convening a meeting of southern governors which agreed that power must shift to the South in 2023 but went behind them to accept the vice-presidential ticket from the People Democratic Party (PDP) flagbearer, Atiku Abubakar, who is from the North.
Okowa responded to Clark’s allegations through his media aides and accused the nonagenarian of fanning embers of disunity in Nigeria.
But PANDEF in its statement through the National Publicity Secretary, Ken Robinson, hits Okowa hard for daring to exchange words with an elder publicly instead of providing answers to the questions asked by Clark.
PANDEF said, “He (Okowa) was allowed to redeem his image, but rather than devoting time to conscientiously reflect on the issues raised in chief’s letter and re-consider his ways, he embarked on a futile campaign, through commissioned proxies, to disparage our leader, which could be likened to one throwing pebbles into an ocean hoping to create ripples.”
“Nonetheless, PANDEF gives Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, 48 hours to retract and withdraw his attacks on Chief Clark in his interest.
Nigeria has excellent diplomatic relations with outside world – Onyeama
“In the same way that we started this statement, let us remind Governor Ifeanyi Okowa that a child that is well brought up does not exchange words with his father when scolded in the public.”
The statement faulted Okowa for accusing Clark of causing disunity and explained that the elder statesman, as a federal commissioner after the civil war, carried out many programmes and policies which successfully unified Nigeria.
Part of the statement read, “Governor Ifeanyi Okowa needs to be acquainted with an African proverb that says ‘when your father scolds you in the public, a well-brought-up child, does not exchange words with him but goes home to reflect on the words of the old man
“At nearly 96, Chief Senator (Chief) Dr E.K Clark, OFR, CON is not only our national leader and elder statesman, but, more significantly, is old enough to be a father and even grandfather to most of us. PANDEF, thus, finds it stunning that less than 24 hours after Chief Clark wrote an open letter to the governor, raising various troubling issues, he, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, and his media attack dogs have been quick to reply to him; avoiding answers to the veracity of the issues raised, but dwelling on the towering image, integrity, and personality of this great national icon.
“As a regional body, that represents the interests of the people of the entire Niger Delta, PANDEF is compelled to note that the responses, on the matter, by Okowa’s Commissioner for Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, and other sycophantic liegemen, are thoughtless and disingenuous. It would even become more worrying if the invectives from the “attack dogs” signify Governor Okowa’s true inner reflections.
“Amongst other things, the Commissioner for Information, in particular, stated that Chief Clark, at his age, should be a unifier and not bent on dividing the country. That is not only fatuous but nonsensical.
“To correct Okowa’s messengers, and to set the records right, for future generations, it is necessary to remind Governor Okowa and his misguided aides of some facts.
“Without doubt, there is no other Nigerian, living or dead, who has played roles to unify this country as Chief E.K Clark has done. For over 70 years, the respected national leader has continued to play overriding nationalistic roles, which was acknowledged, perhaps unintended, in the Commissioner’s response to the chief’s letter.”
