From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Leader of Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Edwin Clark, has labelled President Muhammadu Buhari as the worst leader in Nigeria’s history.
The former federal commissioner for Information and South South leader, during a farewell press conference at his Asokoro residence, yesterday, criticised Buhari for failing to view the entire nation as his constituency and, instead, marginalised and humiliated people of the Niger Delta.
He said Buhari did not keep the vow he made during his inauguration in 2015 to be fair to all parts of the country.
Quoting Buhari’s statement where he said, “Having just a few minutes ago swore on a holy book, I intend to keep my hope and same as president to all Nigerians. I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody,” Clark said the president only observed it in breach.
“In the past eight years, President Buhari has demonstrated, in most cases, that he did not belong to the whole country but to a group; his tribe and religion, which is contrary to what he said in his inaugural speech that he belong to everybody.
“For instance, he appointed 14 out of 17 security chiefs from one section of the country. So, the declaration that “he belongs to everybody and nobody,” was a sham. I make bold to say the reverse has been the case, “he belongs to some people,” but not the entire Nigeria.
“Even in simple matters like extending the good wishes of the government to notable personalities in the country on their birthdays or other landmark attainments, the Buhari administration was selective and biased in who it chooses to recognise or consider worthy of goodwill messages.”
Clark recalled the way Buhari made appointments in his government, accusing him of nepotism.
“Conclusively, uncivilised bias, unfairness, and nepotism have been the staple characteristics of the Buhari administration.
“For instance, as I had cited earlier, out of the 17 top military, paramilitary, security, and intelligence related positions in Nigeria; persons from the northern zones of North West, North East, and North Central are at the helm of 14 while only three are held by persons from the three southern zones of South South, South East, and South West.
“The government need not be told that discrimination is a danger to any society, particularly, a plural society like ours.
“We, I and 15 other patriotic Nigerians, are currently in court, over the desecration of the Federal Character Law on appointments by the Buhari administration.
“Probably, it never occurred to President Buhari that he is president of the entire country and not just a section; and that he was elected by all zones of Nigeria, including the southern zones; without the votes from the South, he would not have satisfied the constitutional requirement of 25 per cent in 2/3 of the states and the Federal Capital Territory to become president.
“I considered it an obligation to make this communication from a standpoint of patriotism to limelight the failures of the outgoing administration.
particularly, the callous inattention of the administration to issues of the Niger Delta region and to further accentuate the developmental necessities of the people of the region, with the justified expectation that the incoming federal administration will bestow a fairer disposition and responsiveness to the Niger Delta region.
“What is needed, indeed, is a just, equitable, and more egalitarian approach to the administration and management of the nation’s resources and the conduct of state affairs. This country belongs to all of us.”
The elder statesman observed that the outgoing administration failed to construct a single road in the South South just as it ignored the region in railway infrastructure as it preferred to pay attention to other parts of the country.
He blasted ministers from the South South who served under the outgoing government, saying all they did was the bidding of their master.
Clark accused former minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, of signing off marginal oil fields to people from other regions while neglecting Niger Deltan citizens.
Similarly, he said former minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, was more interested in providing railway infrastructure to Niger Republic than reviving the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri corridor in his own area.
Clark also tasked the outgoing governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, to account for N1,077,450,286,552.17 he allegedly collected on behalf of oil producing communities from 2015 to 2022 as 13 per cent derivation fund.
He told the governor in an open letter: “My findings reveal you have received N1,077,450,285,552.17; as 13 per cent derivation fund in your administration.
“There will be need to give an account of this money. This letter will be copied to your predecessor in office, Emmanuel Uduaghan, for him to also account for the money he received from the Federal Government from June 2007 to May 2015, amounting to N765,662,198,080.07.
“From the records available, you have only released, in instalments, N232 billion to the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) out of the 50 per cent of the derivation fund received, which ought to go to the oil producing communities.
“In fact, you kept under your control the total amount paid by the Federal Government, and dispense it as you like. This is ultra vires.”