‘You betrayed your colleagues, won’t succeed with VP ambition’, Clark tackles Okowa
Elder statesman and First Republic Federal Commissioner for Information, Chief Edwin Clark, on Thursday, came so hard on Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta, with a prayer that he does not succeed in his ambition for Vice Presidency.
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According to him, the governor should, in his own interest, openly apologise to his colleagues in both the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party he had allegedly deceived into taking a decision he never believed in.
Clark also gave Okowa between now and May 29 to give an account of the N250 billion 13 per cent derivation fund which he collected from the Federal Government as exposed by Governor Nyesom Wike of River State or face action in court.
“I wish to refresh your memory on the official figure issued by the Federal Government of Nigeria on the buck payment approved by President Muhammadu Buhari, which your colleague of River State, Nyesom Wike publicly admitted to your annoyance.
“You gave them a very good reception and provided them with a secretariat that drafted the communiqué under your supervision, which was ably read by the Chairman of the Southern Governors Forum, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State.
“It was indeed a bombshell, as you collectively demanded Southern Presidency and insisted that none of you should accept to be a Vice President.
“Shortly afterwards, the Southern and Middle-Belt Leaders Forum, which I lead, gave the governor’s declaration 100 per cent support and declared that no Southern serving governors, legislators or politicians should accept to be running mate, particularly to Atiku Abubakar.
“The 17 Governors later met again in Lagos and Enugu states to affirm the decision taken in your Government House, Asaba. Little did we know that you were using this to perfect your secret plan to be running mate to Atiku Abubakar from the very beginning.
“We are therefore not surprised that you directed all the delegates from Delta State not to vote for Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State or Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State who are your neighbours but instead, they voted massively for Atiku Abubakar during the PDP presidential primaries last year.
“It would be recalled in 2007, that Delta State finances were used in funding part of the election of Umaru Musa Yar’Adua through the directive of President Olusegun Obasanjo. We were therefore not surprised when you too decided to finance Atiku Abubakar with Delta People’s money because; there is nobody to challenge you. I repeat you will not succeed.
“It is therefore in your own interest to openly apologise to your colleagues of both APC and PDP whom you deceived in taking a decision you never believed in. After your unreserved apology to your people and Southern Nigeria, you should step down your ambition of becoming a Vice-presidential candidate of the PDP. There your honour lies. Punch
