Chief Clark didn’t attack Chief Anenih RIGHT OF REPLY By SENATOR AMEH EBUTE OUR attention had been drawn to an article written by one Kayode Ojo who we understand is not a staff of the Vanguard Newspaper and who could only pass as a guest or a ghost writer who mischievously, arrogantly and in most uncivilized manner, attacked the eminent personalities of Nigeria, including General I.B.M. Haruna (rtd.), from Adamawa State who is of Hausa/Fulani extraction, who was a former Federal Minister of Information under General Murtala Muhammed and who was the General Officer Commanding, (GOC) 2nd Division of the Nigerian Army during the civil war of 1967-1970. General David Jemibewon (rtd.), a frontline soldier during the civil war, former Military Governor, OyoState and former Minister of Police Affairs, under General Olusegun Obasanjo administration, who is from KogiState and Yoruba by tribe. Both men, who not being of ethnic minorities, are not qualified to be members and, therefore, have no link with the Congress for Equality and Change. The Congress for Equality and Change is a socio-political organization, founded by the minority ethnic nationalities of Nigeria both from the Southern and Northern parts of Nigeria. Promotion of good governance The two retired Generals, were in Chief E. K. Clark’s house for a different meeting with him, when some press men came, to collect the communique from the National Chairman of CEC, Hon. Senator Ameh Ebute, former Prresident of the Senate, who had earlier directed the Press to collect the Communique at the Chief’s residence. The objectives of the Congress include among others: “the promotion of good governance, poiitica! equaiitv and social justice as well as common identity and unity of ethnic nationalities in Nigeria…” It is the dream of the founders to sustain this initiative on an enduring basis to harness our potentials within the Nigeria polity. The organization was founded during the constitutional crisis in 2010 when the acting position of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was opposed to, by certain interest groups. They held that President Jonathan as a minority had a right to act as Acting President of Nigeria, when President Umaru Musa Yar’ Adua was very ill in Saudi Arabia for a number of months. It was at this same time, that a very active Human Rights Organization known as “Save Nigeria Group” under the leadership of Pastor Bakare, was also fighting for the enthronement of, or the right of, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan to act as the President of Nigeria. We salute them for their courage and patriotism. It would be recalled, among the same group of persons including the former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Gang of five governors and some prominent Nigerians walked out unceremoniously from the Convention of the PDP which was being held at the Eagle Square, and was attended by Mr. President, the Vice President, President of the Senate and other prominent PDP members from all over the Federation of Nigeria. According to them, their grievances included the intention of Mr. President to seek for a re-election in 2015 and the removal of the National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, etc. which demand, the Congress for Equality and Change regarded as untenable and unjust, on the ground that Mr. President had constitutional right to re-contest in 2015 while Alhaji Bamanga Tukur was duly and properly elected at a Party Convention attended by PDP Delegates, including those who walked out from the last Mini Convention. Congress for Equality and Change, therefore, mainly replied to Chief Tony Anenih, the Board of Trustees Chairman’s statement that those who walked out have “genuine grievances”. The Congress for Equality and Change statement was neither an attack nor condemnation of Chief Tony Anenih, who is a respected leader of CEC. It was mainly drawing his attention and the generality of Nigerians, to the fact that those Governors and the former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, had no “genuine grievances”. At this juncture, it may be necessary to reproduce the said statement by the Congress for Equality and Change: Being text of a communique issued after a meeting of the Executive of Congress For Equality And Change in Abuja on September 5, 2013 “Some Aggrieved Governors Have Genuine Complaints – Anenih” Are these PDP Governors and Atlku Abubakar Really Aggrieved? The Leadership Newspaper of Wednesday September 4, 2013 and most electronic media, credited to Chief Tony Anenih CFR, Chairman, BOT of the PDP with the above statement. Snippets from the Villa and media suggests that the grievances of the Governors include: •that Mr. President should award the governors, their cronies and family perpetual injunction from EFCC and police prosecution against corruption, embezzlement of public funds and criminal enrichment: This is impunity at the highest level. The International anti-corruption agency – Transparency International (T.I.) rates Nigeria as one of the most corrupt countries in the world. The International Communities and NGOs in Nigeria have been vehement that the President should crush corruption. How then, do these Governors want Mr. President to succumb to their demand? Our stand here, is that Mr. President should empower the anti-corruption agencies to do more. -. •Mr. President should renounce his ambition for 2015 if any or pledge out rightl y that he will not contest: Every past Head of State or President had weakness, but such weaknesses were not sufficient to deny them their constitutional right to vie for a second term. Is it their demand that, President Goodluck Jonathan should not contest the 2015 Presidential Elections on the ground that the late President Umaru Yar’Adua had four more years to go, and therefore, it is the turn of the North to complete the four years? Or, are they just being mischievous that they are not aware of the Provisions of Section 137, Sub-section 1 (b), of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which states: A person shall not be qualified for election to the office of President if – (b) he has been elected to such office at any two previous elections” The question, therefore, is, has President Jonathan contested two elections as provided for in the Constitution to disqualify him? The answer is NO! Or is it that he has taken the turn of a majority ethnic group to govern? We also note that the gang up by the five governors for Mr. President not to run assumed a notorious dimension after Mr. President presented a sterling Mid- term Report, that was widely acclaimed both locally and internationally as excellent. Also, the five Governors became jittery when Northern minority groups started ctamoring for Mr. President’s second term. Then these aggrieved Governors, remembered some imaginary agreement that Mr. President entered into not to run. We therefore, urge Mr. President to discountenance such calls and be prepared to seek a second term. The Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Bamangar Tukur should resign: The offence of Alhaji Bamangat Tukur is that, he is insistent on party discipline and supremacy. Should a democratically elected Party Chairman resign on account of his loyalty to the party? Accredited members Was the PDP National Chairman not duly and properly elected at a Convention, fully attended by accredited members including the five aggrieved governors. INEC acknowledgdes that the PDP Chairman, was properly elected. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and the gang of seven governors, have not stated their main grievances that called for the dismissal or resignation of the National Chairman. Nobody has asked these Governors to drop their party Chairmen nominated by them. The Chairman has now called two NEC meetings and he is living up to expectation. •Olagunsoye Oyinlola, should be reinstated as secretary of PDP: This is a Government that has obeyed all court orders including installing. Governor Amaechi of RiversState as Governor when he did not contest any election. Courts of competent jurisdiction ousted both Oyinola and Rivers PDP Exco and the Governors want Mr. President to commit a contempt of court order. We advise Mr. President not to do this. •that Andy Uba – should be recognised as the gubernatorial candidate of the PDP in Anambra State Again, we beg to disagree with this demand. Senator Uba conducted his own State Congress against. his party’s decision. No party can condone such effrontery. Conclusion: From the above, we are at a loss what “Genuine grievances” these Governors have? It is obvious that they want Mr. President out, mainly because they feel he has taken the turn of a Majority Ethnic Group to govern. We urge the Chairman, BOT, Chief Tony Anenih, to remember to tell the so called “Aggrieved Governors” that they owe Nigerians and indeed Mr. President an apology for the way and manner they behaved during the PDP Convention. Finally, Chief Tony Anenih should distance himself from the demands of these so- called “Aggrieved Governors” and join Alhaji Bamatigo Tukur to work for the party in TRUTH and SPIRIT. May God Bless us all and Nigeria. [Sgd.] SENATOR AMEH EBUTE CHAIRMAN” It is true that Chief Clark is one of the Founders and Leader of the Congress for Equality and Change, because he was fully involved in the agitation or in the fight to install President Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan as the Acting President of Nigeria. He is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Chief Clark is not a member of the Executive but in this particular case, he wishes to fully support the Communique issued by CEC refuting that the gang of seven had “genuine grievances”. It is, however, surprising that the attack being levelled against Chief Clark by Senator Braimoh who for four years in the Senate, has nothing to offer to his people and the rejection for a second term by his people was no doubt, a good riddance, and he is not in any way being envied by Chief Clark for his being a chorus boy for Chief Tony Anenih. As for the ghost writer, Kayode Ojo, who has been a regular critic of Chief E.K. Clark, he should be ashamed of himself and those of his likes, who tagged Chief Clark as “always being incensed” of the Goodluck Jonathan 2015 election, Chief Clark has no regret whatsoever, and that is why he is in Abuja. Finally, we wish to say that Chief Clark has a very good relationship with Chief Tony Anenih, he respects him as his leader and Chief Clark also reciprocates likewise as one of our Nigerian frontline leader and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of PDP, to which Chief Clark also belongs.
Posted on: Wed, 25 Sep 2013 07:19:52 +0000