“It is an election that will most likely determine the fate of this country; not only in the next four years, but the future of generations yet unborn.”
Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) leader, Chief Edwin Clark, has said the 2019 elections will likely determine Nigeria’s fate; not only in the next four years, but its future, the future of the children and the future of generations yet unborn.
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Clark said this when Christian Campaigners of Nigeria paid him a courtesy call, at the weekend.
The former federal commissioner for Information and South South leader, who described the visit as timely, as the elections are just weeks away said: “These forthcoming elections are also important because our
national economy has suffered the most negative downturn of recent years. We have lost millions of jobs in recent times; the unemployment continues to soar to the rooftop, and prices of even basic foodstuff are now out of the reach of the average Nigerian.
“Therefore, it is an election that will most likely determine the fate of this country; not only in the next four years, but actually its future, the future of our children, the future of generations yet unborn. That is why it is important that every facet or groups should be involved. All hands must be on deck.”
“This country is at crossroad today. If you are from certain parts of the country, it is most likely you will not get some jobs, despite provisions on federal character in our Constitution. For instance, it is still fresh in our minds what happened just a few days ago on the floor of the Senate when names of Nigerians were sent to the senate for clearance as members of the Board of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and some zones of the country, the South-South and the South East, were conspicuously left out from being nominated to serve in the board. This will not be the first time though. It also happened in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, which is the engine room of the oil industry, when its board was constituted.
“Out of a board of nine members, which include the chairman, six are from the North, a non oil-producing area and these six include the present Chief of Staff, whose schedule of duty is already very tight. One is from the South West, an oil-producing zone, only one is from the South South which produces 90 percent of the oil and none from the South East, an oil-producing zone. If things are done equitably, NNPC headquarters ought to be in the South South which i produces the highest percentage of oil, the commodity that sustains the country.