Posted by From Segun James in Warri on
Elder statesman and Former Minister of Information, DR Edwin Clark has warned on the implication of the continued interference by the Federal Government in the internal affairs of states.
Elder statesman and Former Minister of Information, DR Edwin Clark has warned on the implication of the continued interference by the Federal Government in the internal affairs of states.
Clark gave the warning over the weekend during the visit of two political movements, the G.3 from the Delta South Senatorial district and the Urhobo Political Forum (UPF) to his country home at Kiagbodo.
Clark said the warning became necessary following reports of the imposition of candidates by the national headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the states.
According to him, such action has the capacity of creating problems that may snowball into a national crisis.
He insisted that most party members may not realize the immediate implication of the action of the party and the Federal Government until election time.
While urging members of the party to resist such impositions, Clark warned that the people would fight for their rights if unpopular persons were rigged-in to govern them.
He was particularly angry at what happened in Delta State where unknown political leaders were imposed on the people.
Said a fuming Clark: 'the Abuja people do not love you very much. The people at the center do not like you much as you like yourself, which is why you have to fight for your survival. After all, the economy of this country is majorly supported by this state and they are taking our resources , but if they want to say they can also come to rule us, we shall resist it. They cannot dictate who to rule us".
Clark told the G3 made up of the Ijaw, Isoko and Itsekiri people and the UPF led by the Secretary to the Delta State Government (SSG) Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan and Chief Ighoyota Amori respectively that the 'elders are behind you. Loyalty to the governor is total, let us not allow our governor to be humiliated by any body".
He advised the two groups to carry people from the Delta North district along so that it would not be assumed that what is happening is a political gang up against any other groups.
'I will entreat you that there is need for you to live with other groups in the state. Let them know you have no hidden agenda 'he admonished.
'More importantly" Chief Clark urged the two groups to make an 'in road into Abuja politics" saying that from all indications, they are weak at the federal level.
Responding, Dr. Uduaghan admitted the weakness of the groups at the 'Abuja level", but promised that machinery has been put in place to operate at that level for the benefit of the entire people of Delta State.